The Erneston family has been in the produce business since 1923. Chris is proud to be the fourth generation in his family to be in the fresh produce industry. In 2019, Chris took his 30 years of expertise working with his family at J&J produce in sales, marketing, farming operations, and transportation and established Life Family Farms. He is blessed to have a strong team of professionals with a vast array of experience in all aspects of the fresh produce business to work alongside him at Life Family Farms.
After nine years of active duty as a US Marine, Dan started his produce career with C&S Wholesale Grocers and then with Tops Markets, a leading retailer in New York State. During his time at Tops, Dan rose through the ranks and became Category Business Manager of Produce. With extensive experience in Warehousing, Procurement, Sales & Marketing, Dan became VP of Sales with an import company in South Florida.
Martin began his career in produce growing specialty items in Guatemala more than 40 years ago. He has gained valuable experience progressing through the industry as a grower, packer, exporting, importing, buying, and selling across Mexico, Central and South America. He holds lifetime relationships with many growers and packers from all over Latin America. Martin has served as a member of the USDA Fruits and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. His vast and diverse experience and many contacts are an integral part of our team.
Alex has widespread experience in logistics, exporting, and sales management at the local and international level. He is adept in managing all aspects of the supply chain and inventory control operations in addition to quality control and assurance. He has led extensive logistics operations for exports to Eastern European regions coordinating with vendors, clients, retailers, wholesalers, growers, and auction houses across Europe. He speaks multiple languages including English, Spanish, and Russian, and has more than 10 years experience leading entrepreneurship and business administration operations across diverse industries.
Rigoberto has worked in the produce industry since 2006. His career began with an import company in South Florida where he gained extensive experience in operations, inventory control, quality control, shipping, and receiving. He later joined the sales team providing support and top-quality customer service. Rigoberto has also worked with major food service companies including CSR, Sysco Food Service, and UNFI.
Rachel has over 12 years of sales experience in the produce industry, working for some of South Florida’s leading importers. Providing top quality service and customer care is the driving force behind her enthusiasm and determination. In addition to sales, Rachel has worked in a variety of capacities including inventory control, procurement, logistics, and marketing. She is excited to bring the knowledge she has gained and the relationships she has developed over the past 12 years to the Life Family Farms team.
Lauren is a second-generation leader in the fresh produce industry. She is an accomplished sales and supply leader in asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and other wet vegetables. She cares deeply about developing and maintaining long-standing partnerships and delivering 5-star customer service. Lauren is passionate about the produce industry and is a member of the IFPA women's Fresh Perspectives Committee and a graduate from IFPA's emerging leaders program.
Pach has more than 25 years of experience in the produce industry, both retail and wholesale. After multiple years in retail management, he began his wholesale career at Four Seasons Produce (PA) at the NYC sales office as an account manager providing fresh organically grown produce to retailers/food service within the NY City Metro area. He later joined C&S Wholesale (MA) as a produce buyer and was promoted to the National Procurement Manager position. He led a team of organic buyers and along the way established the C&S Organic program for its customers. After a decade of dedication and success at C&S, Pach promptly joined Robinson Fresh (MN) as their Account Manager working directly with Aldi’s and later Albertsons.
Ana is a highly valued member of our Procurement Department. For more than 20 years she has secured products from all over South America to the United States. Her extensive relational network and in-depth knowledge of procuring fresh Peruvian asparagus year-round makes her an invaluable asset and we are proud to have her on our team.
Magaly has over 13 years of experience in the import industry. For years she has immersed herself in a fast-paced environment to become an expert in all logistic platforms via air, land, or sea. She is proficient at facilitating any logistical challenge while ensuring efficient and active communication with our growers and securing food safety procedures to bring the best quality produce from our farms to our facility.
Daly has more than 25 years of experience in accounting across all aspects of the industry including agriculture, food service, retail, and logistics. Her ability to understand a wide variety of accounting functions makes her key for this crucial company role. Her understanding of accounting formats while delivering outstanding service to our customers makes her an instrumental member of our team.
Jennifer's vast experience in the produce industry has provided her with the tools to understand the ins and outs of all aspects of the business. Her experience over the past 15 years in the industry has proven that she is well-rounded and an expert in her field. Her work ethic, management, and accounting skills are essential to the Life Family Farms team.
