Retail sales veteran joins New England apple packer

Tasked with acquiring new business and reinvigorating the JP Sullivan & Co brand, the century-old New England apple packer has added a retail sales veteran to head its sales.

Steve Wright joined the Ayer, Massachusetts-based JP Sullivan as vice president of sales in early September.

Wright is a produce industry-veteran who has worked both sides of the sales desk. Wright was most recently chief customer officer at Soli Organic, a large indoor organic growing operation. He possesses years at Tops Market and Spartan stores and is poised to best know the challenges retailers face, while providing an innovative and insightful perspective to capture the consumer purchase, according to a news release.

“From my days working on the retail side of the business, I know what good quality and customer service looks like,” Wright said in the release. “JP Sullivan has a rich history as the iconic brand of the Northeast. We are big enough to provide the full array of quality NE apples, and small enough to be nimble and provide that personal hands-on service every retailer deserves. I’m excited to be part of an organization that obsesses on the customer and is a good partner in growing the apple category for the retailers we service.”

Wright’s industry experience and knowledge makes him the ideal person to lead JP Sullivan’s sales as the company eagerly moves into the next 100 years, John Russell, JP Sullivan’s president, said in the release.

“He will be a natural conduit between sales, packing and our growers, giving us the ability to anticipate customers’ needs and allowing us to maintain peak flexibility while servicing their accounts,” Russell said in the release. “More importantly, I am excited to have Steve join our team to help build our program to meet our ultimate goal, providing our growers sustainable returns for their apples that will allow them to continue investing into their family farms.”

Established in 1925, New-England based JP Sullivan is a wholly-owned packer and marketer of Sparta, Michigan’s Riveridge Produce Marketing. JP Sullivan ships fresh apples for New England and New York growers. JP Sullivan grows Eastern apple variety favorites under the Yankee brand including McIntosh and Cortland apples as well newer varieties including Honeycrisp, Gala, Ambrosia and Pink Lady.