Former Danone executive becomes chief operating officer at NatureSweet

Vertically integrated agricultural company and snacking tomato brand NatureSweet announced that supply chain expert Gerardo Chavez has joined the ranks of its leadership team as chief operating officer as company growths accelerates.

Chavez has previously worked at Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Pepsico, Clorox and most recently at Danone, where he served as D2D/COO LATAM and oversaw extended supply chain operations for Danone.

“NatureSweet’s commitment to transform the lives of millions of agricultural workers in North America is clear by our investment to add hundreds of hectares of controlled environment agriculture in the next few years, needed to support our accelerated growth. Providing our consumers with the best-tasting produce and our customers with the superior service and quality they deserve requires us to continue improving. Gerardo’s proven track record overseeing global supply chains for industry titans will propel our company forward,” says NatureSweet President & CEO Rodolfo Spielmann. “His ability to navigate complex landscapes from manufacturing to digital transformation will help spawn a new chapter of growth and efficiency.”

Chavez began his career in business logistics as an intern at P&G, where he eventually became an associate director in product supply.

Chavez has earned certificates in supply chain and digital business transformation from Penn State, the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland, MIT and Mexico’s IPADE Business School. He graduated with Honors from The National University in Mexico with a degree in chemical engineering and earned his MBA from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.

He and his wife have two adult children. He enjoys traveling with them and scuba diving. He’s also an avid sports fan and loves cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Liverpool FC.