Colombia Avocado Board elects new leadership, amid growing US market presence
At its annual meeting on October 16, the Colombia Avocado Board (CAB) elected the nine-member Board of Directors for the 2025/26 term. Four officer positions were filled, including one new director, as CAB builds momentum for another year of growth and stronger retail partnerships in the US market.
Newly elected to the Board of Directors:
- Galen Johnson, Secretary and Importer Director from Mission Produce
Johnson joins the board as Secretary, replacing Brock Becker, also of Mission Produce. Johnson brings more than 15 years of experience in retail, wholesale, and foodservice sales.
Members re-elected to new officer roles:
- Kellen Newhouse, Chair and Importer Director from West Pak Avocado
- Ricardo Uribe, Vice Chair and Exporter Director from Cartama
- Sergio Plata Ortiz, Treasurer and Exporter Director from Baika Fruit
Kellen Newhouse, previously CAB Treasurer, was elected as Chair for a one-year term. Ricardo Uribe, who successfully served as Chair for five consecutive terms, now serves as Vice Chair, while Sergio Plata Ortiz, previously Vice Chair, will serve as Treasurer.
Each director serves a two-year term and may be re-elected to continue serving in subsequent terms.
The board plays a key role in providing strategic guidance, oversight, and direction for CAB’s efforts to strengthen the presence of Avocados from Colombia across the US retail and foodservice sectors.
Continuing members for the Colombia Avocado Board
Along with the members joining the board, others continue their work at the Colombia Avocado Board.
- Katheryn Mejia, Director with Corpohass
- Brian Gomez, Importer Director with Green Fruit Avocados
- Dustin Hahn, Importer Director from Naturipe Avocados
- Ricardo Mejia, Exporter Director from Fruty Green
- Carlos Andres Londoño, Exporter Director from Jardin Exotics
“The Colombian avocado industry continues to grow and gain recognition as a trusted origin for consistent, high-quality fruit,” said Manuel Michel, Managing Director of the CAB.
The executive emphasized that this calendar year, the Latin American country is on pace to reach 150 million pounds of exports to the US, representing an 85 percent increase from the prior year.
"That growth reflects the commitment of our growers, exporters, and importers to delivering quality and reliability week after week," Michel added.
Since gaining market access to the US in 2017, Colombia has steadily built its reputation as a reliable, year-round source of Hass avocados.
Today, there are 620 US-certified orchards—a 42 percent increase over last year—spanning 40,200 acres, up 37 percent year over year. With this foundation, Colombia continues to demonstrate why it is one of the world's fastest-growing and most dependable avocado origins.
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