United Fresh's BrandStorm to Host Industry’s Marketing Icons for Fireside Chat

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United Fresh’s sixth annual BrandStorm event will take place online March 9-11, 2021. The event will feature a panel of marketing icons and past United Fresh Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council chairs Roger Pepperl, Cindy Jewell and Mark Munger, for a fireside chat where they’ll share their perspectives on the past, present and future of fresh produce marketing.

 

“I count Roger and Cindy among my most respected industry friends and mentors,” said Mark Munger, vice president of sales and marketing at 4Earth Farms and chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council. “I’m looking forward to this intimate chat where they’ll share with the attendees their perspectives on innovative marketing strategies that have impacted our industry and shaped my own produce marketing career. It’s an honor and pleasure of mine to host this conversation."

 

Roger Pepperl served as the chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council from 2013-15 while he was working as the director of marketing for Stemilt Growers, LLC. Pepperl retired from the fresh produce industry in December of 2020 after a storied 40-year career working on both sides of the produce aisle as a retailer and then as a produce marketer. 

 

Cindy Jewell was Pepperl’s successor, serving as the chair of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council from 2015-17, and later served as chair of the United Fresh Board of Directors from 2018-19. After concluding her leadership roles on the United Fresh Board of Directors, Jewell founded SC Jewell Inc., a marketing consultancy.

 

Jewell’s successor, Mark Munger is the vice president of sales and marketing at 4Earth Farms. Beginning in 2017, he has served two consecutive terms as the chair of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council, which he will relinquish this spring.

 

BrandStorm, a project of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council, has been developed to engage all levels of brand and marketing professionals in the produce industry looking to enhance their knowledge of marketing strategies, tools and innovations.

 

“As the staff liaison to the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council, I’ve been fortunate to count Roger, Cindy and Mark as mentors and trusted advisors,” said Mary Coppola, vice president of marketing and communications, United Fresh. “They each bring unique perspectives and career experiences to the industry which I’m excited to share with you — our produce marketing peers — during this year’s virtual BrandStorm conference."