Grimmway Farms' Lisa McNeece, Kellen Stailey, and Jen Verdelli Hurter Talk PMA Foodservice: Delivered



Grimmway Farms' Lisa McNeece, Kellen Stailey, and Jen Verdelli Hurter Talk PMA Foodservice: Delivered



BAKERSFIELD, CA - The world of virtual has taken over, and naturally those of us within fresh produce rose to the challenge. Most recently, as thousands flocked to the online portal of PMA Foodservice: Delivered, we got a taste of how business dealings within this sector would take root in this new normal. I spoke with three of Grimmway Farms’ powerhouse team members, Lisa McNeece, Kellen Stailey, and Jen Verdelli Hurter, to learn a bit more about how Grimmway continues to deliver on quality.

Kellen Stailey, Vice President of Marketing, Grimmway Farms“Our goals for PMA Foodservice: Delivered were to engage with our customers, discuss our fall programs with buyers and foodservice operators, and promote our versatile Cal-Organic Farms Rainbow Carrot Chips,” combed Stailey, Vice President of Marketing. “Considering the virtual format of this year’s show, we placed more emphasis on video content, photography, and digital collateral to showcase our foodservice product offerings and we prepared our sales team for remote engagement with attendees.”

Lisa McNeece, Vice President of Foodservice and Industrial Sales, Grimmway FarmsLisa McNeece, Vice President of Foodservice and Industrial Sales, added, “I felt the PMA Foodservice: Delivered platform provided great content and powerful sessions from suppliers, distributors, and chain restaurants. As foodservice professionals, we have all had to pivot quickly to support our customers and help businesses survive during these uncertain times. PMA Foodservice: Delivered gave us the opportunity to learn what we can do both now to prepare for the future of foodservice. What resonated with me most is how we have all come together to share both ideas and current results.”

I wondered, as the approach to reopening foodservice operations continues to draw closer, what Grimmway has been doing to support its foodservice operators, and naturally, Lisa did not disappoint.

Some goals Grimmway Farms had for PMA Foodservice: Delivered included engaging with customers, discussing fall programs with buyers and foodservice operators, and promoting its versatile Cal-Organic Farms Rainbow Carrot Chips

“We’re working closely with our customers to understand the challenges they face and develop labor and cost-saving solutions for their businesses,” she remarked.

Jen Verdelli Hurter, Director of Sales, also noted how Foodservice: Delivered appropriately centered the industry conversation around a sector still trying to find its footing.

Jen Verdelli Hurter, Director of Sales, Grimmway Farms“PMA Foodservice: Delivered offered excellent programming for a segment of the industry struggling to reinvent in the midst of the pandemic,” Verdelli Hurter explained. “Now more than ever, restaurants must deliver great taste, good value, and safe, clean environments. As partners, we must stay focused on providing high-quality produce to maximize shelf life and provide operators with the value and versatility they need.”

While we continue to uncover the latest in all the industry and its partners has to offer, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Grimmway Farms



Companies in this Story


Grimmway Farms

Family-owned and operating in Bakersfield, California, Grimmway Farms traces its roots to a produce stand started by the…


Cal-Organic Farms

Cal-Organic Farms began operating in 1984 with a quarter acre of lettuce and the determination to do things differently.…