Westfalia Fruit International Ltd. announced that industry veteran Johnathan Sutton has been appointed to fill the newly created role of executive of safety and environment for the multinational Group.

Sutton is tasked with driving the avocado experts toward greater heights of sustainability, refining systems and protocols to ensure optimal levels of compliance with regard to environmental impact, food safety, and the health and safety of employees.

Sutton is a leading food industry professional with high-level procurement, technical and commercial knowledge, gained over decades in the retail sector. He is an advocate and coach of continuous improvement and has a drive for lean efficiency across all pillars of the industry. A proven team leader, he is committed to people development, product innovation, sustainability and strategic sourcing.

“At a time when the world’s attention is focused on the preservation of health, safety and the environment, John is a welcome addition to our Westfalia Fruit family,” said Group CEO Alk Brand. “He’s also a staunch supporter of the values that have been upheld by the Group since it was founded over seven decades ago.” It’s this heritage, together with a clear vision for the future, that will help drive the Group toward continuous improvement of food and people safety as well as sustainability for all its global business units.