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Mission Produce, Inc. Celebrates 35 Years of Innovation at PMA Fresh Summit

OXNARD, Calif. – October 17, 2018 – Mission Produce, the world’s leading distributor of fresh Hass avocados, celebrates 35 years of innovation at PMA Fresh Summit. This anniversary is a proud moment for all Mission employees, who are celebrating by reflecting on the past but more importantly, looking towards the future.

“For the past 35 years, we have been risk-takers,” notes Steve Barnard, President and CEO. “This avocado revolution is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we do not plan on slowing down anytime soon. It’s only half-time.”

Among a long list of accomplishments, Mission Produce was the first company to pioneer a nationwide U.S. avocado ripening program, the first to commercially import avocados from Chile, and the first to open an avocado ripening and distribution center in China. The company has always been on the forefront and continues to lead the industry. “Mission simply pays attention and seizes opportunities,” stated Jim Donovan, Senior Vice President of Global Sourcing. “We will continue to capitalize on being the most innovative and quality-centric avocado handler in the world,” added Donovan. Innovation is a fundamental value of the business and one of the reasons why Mission Produce has remained so successful.

The company operates in nine countries and owns eleven ripening facilities in North America, Europe, and China. Mission is grateful for its team members and partners, who have helped put Mission Produce on the map.

“Although we have grown tremendously in the last 35 years, our core values remain the same. Our employees abide by the acronym FIRST, which stands for fun, innovative, reliable, successful and trustworthy. We will continue building this business by investing in relationships, living by the motto ‘work hard, play hard’, and showing our partners our devotion for success. We are looking forward to connecting with everyone at PMA and celebrating this momentous occasion,” concludes Ross Wileman, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.

About Mission Produce: Mission Produce operates state-of-the-art avocado packing facilities in California, Mexico, Peru and Chile. In addition, the company’s global distribution network includes nine ripe centers in North America, with additional ripe centers in Europe and China. Over the past 35 years, Mission has grown to become the leader in the worldwide avocado business.