Chris Puentes – President
Interfresh, Inc.

• 29 yrs experience in produce
• Professional Positions:
  • Produce Buyer
  • General Manger – Retail Store
  • President
• Reason for entering the industry:
  • Early exposure with part-time jobs
  • Enticed by the fast-past, high-energy environment

Chris began his informal career in produce at the age of 15 where he worked as a part-time box boy and clerk for a local grocery store. He spent the next four years of high school building his knowledge of the produce department and retail sales, leading him to a produce buying position with several regional retailers.

A short year later, Chris was asked to assume the position of General Manager for Village Farmers Market, a small, independent gourmet foods store. There he learned the ins and outs of business management and was exposed to the numerous untapped opportunities in the LA market. Realizing the potential for a new business model that focused on providing "produce buying services" and in turn allowed his customers to spend more time selling, Chris started his own company, ProStar Marketing.

With opportunity abounding, Chris joined forces with like-minded partner, Craig Smith, to start Interfresh, Inc. in 1987. For 20 years, Interfresh has flourished as a regional distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. They have in recent years extended their reach to a national customer base and enlarged their operations to include four locations. In the role of President, Chris continues to focus on strategic growth initiatives for the company.