Podcasts Health The Produce Moms Podcast EP13: Organics: The Fastest Growing Category in the Produce Department with Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network

EP13: Organics: The Fastest Growing Category in the Produce Department with Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network

Published: Aug. 1, 2018, 8:15 p.m.

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\\u201cWe sell Health. We sell lifestyle. We\\u2019re selling fresh fruits and vegetables and getting consumers into the produce department.\\u201d

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Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network (OPN), has been a driving force in the farming and produce industry for the past thirty plus years. \\xa0She grew up on her own family\\u2019s table grape and citrus farm in Delano, California. She is recognized as a top spokesperson and a true trailblazer for the organic produce segment, helping to propel organic produce from the fringe to mainstream mass-market retailing.

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\\u201cWhen you go into the produce department, there are farmers, marketers, sellers, packers, and many more behind those products that are stocked on shelves every day\\u201d

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She previously held the position of vice president of organic sales for over 13 years at Earthbound Farm, the country\\u2019s leading brand of organic vegetables and salads, and was an instrumental leader in helping to build the brand to its half billion dollar sales level. Tonya has also consulted for leading U.S. venture capital firms about investments in the organic category.

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\\u201cOrganic is now in every format across the country\\u201d

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Tonya is the 2016 co-recipient, along with her husband, Rick, of the United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2003 recipient of the Women in Produce achievement award. In 2010, she joined the Ag Business Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, as an adjunct professor in Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Marketing. She also enjoys guest lecturing at Hartnell Junior College\\u2019s Ag Business Department and, most recently, at California State University Monterey Bay\\u2019s (CSUMB) School of Business. She currently leads the Women\\u2019s Fund Leadership Council which is a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, where she recently completed a $1.5 million endowment campaign for this fund. \\xa0Tonya also serves on the CSUMB Foundation.


Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

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  • Introduction // Tonya Antle - 1:14
  • How Tonya Got Started in The Organic Produce Industry - 4:12
  • About the Organic Produce Industry - 9:50
  • Defining Organic Food - 11:08
  • Tonya\\u2019s Introduction to Organic Produce - 17:10
  • The Organic Produce Network - 19:35
  • How Consumers Buy Today - 22:40
  • Tonya\\u2019s TED Talk \\u201cWhy Stop Here?\\u201d - 26:42
  • You Don\\u2019t Get What You Don\\u2019t Ask For - 30:12
  • Wrap-up and Takeaways - 31:58

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Check out Tonya\\u2019s TED Talk that we mentioned in the episode!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkZxI7OyZrM

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How to get involved

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If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we\\u2019d love for you to help us spread the word!

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