Wild Mexican shrimp supplier Del Pacifico Seafoods Group has assembled a new sales team in advance of Seafood Expo North America 2019.
Guided by company founder Sergio Castro and Del Pacifico’s new capital partnership with Mexican fund GC1, the series of hires consists of “both old and new blood across borders and areas of expertise,” the company announced in a 6 March press release.
New Del Pacifico sales team members include Danny Alva, who will take on the role of director of sales and product development; Matt Sovis, who will serve as the Midwest and East Coast sales manager; Sarah Baker, the company’s new Pacific Northwest sales manager and brand ambassador; and Benjamin Castro, who will serve as the Mexico sales manager.
Alva, who spent a majority of his career working in international and national sales at Ocean Beauty Seafoods, will be based out of Los Angeles, California.
“With his strengths in retail and product development, Danny travels to each region to drive growth and processing needs across the market place for Del Pacifico,” the company said.
Former Town Dock national sales lead Sovis is “a passionate recreational fisherman with a deep connection to the sea,” according to Del Pacifico. Based out of Boston, Massachusetts, Sovis travels frequently between his regions, driving high-level negotiations and market growth, the company added.
Seattle, Washington-based Baker comes to Del Pacifico following several internships in distribution with Fortune Fish and Gourmet and Pacific Seafood. New to the seafood industry, Baker graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Marine Science in 2016. She travels frequently within her region, promoting business development and occasionally running training demos for Del Pacifico's new retail partners, the company said.
Brother to Del Pacifico founder Sergio Castro, Benjamin Castro comes to his new role “with extensive experience in the seafood industry, specifically in the Mexican market,” Del Pacifico said. Based in Mexico City, Castro has worked to popularize the Del Pacifico brand throughout Mexico, while forming close partnership with high profile chefs and retailers. He recently put on a Del Pacifico Showcase Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mexico City featuring Del Pacifico's coveted wild blue prawns.
Del Pacifico produces the first and only Fair Trade-certified wild Mexican shrimp available on the market. The company partners with Sinaloa’s artisanal panga boat fleet, which utilizes suripera fishing nets (modified cast nets) to obtain shrimp with low bycatch rates and what the company said is a minimal environmental footprint. Once a red-listed fishery, the panga boat fleet and the wild shrimp it sources have now achieved sustainability through a fishery improvement project.
To maintain its Fair Trade certification, Del Pacifico undergoes routine audits with increasing standards and measures. As of January 2019, the company is continuing its certification standing, extending into the next four years. Being Fair Trade Certified, Del Pacifico is also recognized as a “Good Alternative” on Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, in addition to other sustainability rankings on Fish Choice and James Beard’s Smart Catch.
The new sales team will be in attendance at Booth #3105 at 2019 Seafood Expo North America, taking place 17 to 19 March in Boston, Massachusetts.
