Along with current team members Michael Walton, Vice President of Retail Sales; and Stuart McAllister, Vice President of Foodservice/Industrial Sales & Marketing, the group will work with the global team to continue the transformation of a 170-year-old company into a purpose-led business.
The enhanced leadership team will focus on purpose driven, consumer centric, top line growth in the Americas, in conjunction with The Dole Promise.
“The Americas team will continue to drive our transformation under the Dole Promise with a focus on growth through people, planet and prosperity,” said Pier Luigi Sigismondi, President of Dole's Worldwide Packaged Foods division. “We know that the goals set forth in our Promise will only be made possible by keeping our eyes, ears and doors open to people with the experience and innovations that can move us quickly forward.”
JC Dalto joined the Dole team in January 2021 as President & Managing Director of Dole Packaged Foods in the Americas, including North and Latin America, succeeding Brad Bartlett, who retired at the end of 2020. Originally from Argentina, Dalto brings over three decades of focused fast-moving consumer goods and food experience, spending more than half of his career with nutrition and wellness companies around the world including Danone, The Pillsbury Company, Kraft Foods, and most recently, Savencia Fromage & Dairy. A worldwide Italo-Argentinean executive, Dalto and the other new leaders will work from Dole’s Westlake Village, California Americas headquarters.
“The need for good nutrition for all is something that is universal, and something I have been working towards throughout my career,” said Dalto. “I am excited to join this team and to be a part of a company that is purpose-built, focused on the consumer, and is committed to working together to achieve ambitious goals towards sustainable and profitable growth.”
The executive team will look to support the ambitious goals set forth in The Dole Promise with a focus on bridging the gaps to good nutrition for all: accessibility, acceptability, awareness, and waste reduction and grow value for the company’s stakeholders, including farmers and shareholders.
"I’m delighted to join the Dole Packaged Foods executive team in the Americas. I look forward to working closely with the team to build campaigns that push us forward and that help us make an impact with our customers and with the world,” said Hódi, who joined the team this month. Originally from Hungary, she comes with significant experience in the Food and CPG environment, previously Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at Foster Farms. Prior, Hódi held leadership positions with the fresh bakery division of Grupo Bimbo Bakeries, gaining exposure to and a strong familiarity with the Latin American market.
Michael Walton joined Dole in September 2019 and now serves as Vice President of Retail Sales. An accomplished senior sales executive with more than 19 years of consumer-packaged foods experience, Walton brings his sales operations, customer management and trade strategy development expertise to bear in this new role. Previously, Walton served as Head of Channel and Customer Development – Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever working across multiple trade areas including Natural/Specialty, eCommerce, Mass, Club, Drug and Grocery.
Finally, Stuart McAllister’s journey with Dole began in 1989 as a summer intern, and over the past three decades he has held roles with increasing responsibility in Marketing, Sales and Sales Strategy. Now, as Vice President, Sales and Marketing Foodservice and Industrial he brings a unique combination of operations and sales experience, as well as marketing and planning processes from across the organization. McCallister previously led the marketing planning process, developed packaging, and conducted sales negotiations with customers in Japan, the United States and Europe.
About Dole Packaged Foods, LLC
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, is a world leader in growing, sourcing, distributing, and marketing fruit and healthy snacks. Dole sells a full line of packaged shelf stable fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit, and juices. The company focuses on four pillars of sustainability in all its operations: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and waste reduction. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.com.
Dole Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Dole Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd., is a worldwide leader and innovator in the production and marketing of high-quality packaged fruit and healthy snacks. Dole Asia Holdings is also one of Asia's largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.com or doleintlcsr.com.
About The Dole Promise
In June 2020 Dole announced The Dole Promise, with its three pillars around nutrition, sustainability and the creation of shared value.
Better for People: Making nutritious foods accessible for 1 billion people and moving towards zero processed sugar in all Dole products by 2025.
Better for Planet: Zero fruit loss from Dole farms to markets by 2025, zero fossil-based plastic packaging by 2025. net zero carbon emissions in Dole operations by 2030.
Better for all Stakeholders: Dole will continue to positively impact all farmers, communities and people working for Dole – through its commitment to equal opportunity, living wages, and an ever-increasing level of safety, nutrition, and wellbeing. The company also seeks to advance human rights within the direct operations and supply chains by building a culture of transparency and accountability. The company also aims for a 50% increase in the value of its business by 2025.
