Equifruit welcomes Owain Hoefle as Sales Manager, Western North America

Equifruit, North America’s leading Fairtrade-certified banana importer and certified B Corp, is appointing Owain Hoefle as Sales Manager, Western North America.

“Owain brings deep roots in Western Canadian produce and experience building retail relationships in the markets we’re growing in”, said Kim Chackal, company VP of Sales and Marketing and Co-owner. “We’ve long believed that the right people make all the difference in bringing our bananas to more shelves, and Owain is exactly the kind of seasoned, values-aligned team member who can do that.”

Based in British Columbia, Hoefle will be responsible for developing key retail relationships across Canada and the United States. 

“After two decades building relationships across retail, you develop a clear sense of what a great brand looks like, and Equifruit has built something genuinely worth representing”, said Hoefle. “I look forward to bringing that story to more retailers across Western North America and growing a program that delivers real impact for farmers and communities.”

Equifruit bets on local talent

Hoefle brings extensive experience in produce, floral, and grocery to the role. During his 17 years at Pattison Food Group, he rose through the ranks from store-level operations to Director of Produce, Floral, and Bulk, a role in which he developed deep expertise in category management and retail produce programs.

He most recently served as Key Account Manager at Rainbow Greenhouses. Having worked on both the operational and commercial sides of grocery retail, Hoefle has a firsthand understanding of what it takes to build and sustain successful produce programs at scale. 

Hoefle joins Equifruit as the company continues its rapid growth across North America. Recently named to The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Women-Led Companies list for the second consecutive year, Equifruit has expanded its Canadian footprint through a partnership with Pattison Food Group. 

*All images courtesy of Equifruit. 

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