Sunkist Growers Hires New VP of Strategy

Citrus-industry vet Matt Shekoyan has been named VP of Strategy for Sunkist Growers, a citrus cooperative which has served the industry for more than 125 years, along with Fruit Growers Supply (FGS), sister co-op to Sunkist.

In this new role, Shekoyan is working closely with both Sunkist and FGS to optimize and bring to life the companies’ strategic direction.

“We are excited to welcome Matt to the team,” said Jim Phillips, President and CEO at Sunkist Growers and FGS. “This is a new position within our two cooperatives, and it was created to help us deliver on our commitment to our growers, employees, customers and consumers. I am looking forward to his contributions in keeping Sunkist as a citrus leader and industry innovator for many more generations to come.”

Shekoyan brings more than 20 years of diverse leadership experience in the agriculture industry to Sunkist and FGS. He spent much of his career at The Wonderful Company, serving in various operational and executive capacities in the US and abroad, including CFO of Wonderful Citrus.

Phillips added, “Matt has seen the citrus industry grow, evolve and redefine itself. He has a deep understanding of this sector of agriculture, and his knowledge paired with his long history and passion for all things citrus is what we call a triple threat.”

Shekoyan was raised in the Central Valley and comes from a family of citrus, grape and almond growers who have been farming in the area for more than 75 years. Currently residing in Los Angeles, he has lived predominantly in the San Joaquin Valley and lived and worked several years in Mexico promoting California agricultural exports. Most recently, Shekoyan spent two years with his family living and working in Valencia, Spain, where he enhanced his global perspective about the ad industry.

“I am thrilled to join the Sunkist Growers and FGS team,” said Shekoyan. “We have a strong global brand, a talented team and some of the bests assets within the ag space. I am looking forward to building upon our proud legacy and achieve even greater success for our stakeholders.”