San Diego, California, U.S.A.-based shrimp and valued-added supplier Ocean Garden Products has named a new president and CEO and a new vice president of sales and marketing.
Celso Lopez, who most recently served as Ocean Garden’s chief financial officer, was named president and CEO.
Lopez, who has been with the company for 17 years, has “broad experience in multiple divisions of the company and has over 20 years of experience in finance and operations functions in various management capacities throughout a diverse group of industries,” Ocean Garden said in a press release.
Ocean Garden’s former President and CEO, Lance Leonard, has taken a new role as a member of the company's board of directors. He will continue to handle special projects for the company.
James Charters, who has worked for Ocean Garden for 39 years, was appointed vice president of sales and marketing. He will head up the company’s sales divisions in the foodservice and retail channels.
“Charters brings a lifelong wealth of experience in the seafood industry nationwide and abroad,” Ocean Garden said.
The new leaders “are excited to give continuity to the transformation of the company, several years in the making,” the suppler said.
To that end, the company recently launched its first value-added line into U.S. retail.
Primarily known for supplying Mexican shrimp, Ocean Garden is diversifying “to adapt to the needs of the modern consumer with protein sources that offer a convenient time-saving way to enjoy healthy, delicious seafood,” it said in a press release.
New value-added products include: Ocean Garden Marinated Shrimp in three flavors, Ocean Garden Jalapeño Wrapped Butterfly Shrimp, and Ocean Garden Salmon Burgers in three flavors.
Photo courtesy of Ocean Garden.
