When Dawn Gray was named ENZA’s new general manager in March, her friends at Oppenheimer were intrigued. We knew her reputation as a leader in the North American produce industry, and respected her as a worthy adversary in her role as vice president of sales and marketing at BC Hot House. Now based in Auckland, New Zealand, Dawn brings a depth of international marketing experience to her leadership position with one of Oppenheimer’s signature brands.

In addition to the four years she spent with BC Hot House, Dawn’s diverse background includes sales and marketing positions at such esteemed produce companies as Sunkist Growers and Frieda’s, Inc. She has also served as president of the Central California Orange Growers Cooperative, and gained fruit and vegetable import and export experience during a stint with Vanguard International. But it was during her tenure with the Autenrieth Co. that she first became acquainted with Turners and Growers, ENZA’s parent company, in an export capacity.

“Dawn’s many strengths make her well-suited to the top role with ENZA,” said David Nelley, pipfruit category director. “Her experience with BC Hot House and Sunkist has made her very adept at uniting growers in co-operative ventures, while she also brings the experience of working in a trading environment from Vanguard and Autenrieth. With a track record of solid sales and marketing results, Dawn knows how to drive demand for new varieties and pack styles, which will help ENZA create successful campaigns for trickier items, like small- sized Jazz™ apples.”

Dawn is enthusiastic about being part of the future of ENZA, and excited about the company’s role in driving the apple category forward.

“I feel like I’ve been in training for this role my whole life,” she said during a recent trip to North America. Dawn traveled here to get acquainted with the Washington Pacific Rose™ and Jazz growers, and to immerse herself in Oppenheimer’s sales and marketing initiatives for ENZA apples and pears. “The New Zealand pipfruit industry has many challenges. Whenever you look at an industry with challenges, you can also see the tremendous opportunity.”

Dawn traces the trials of the New Zealand apple industry back to its deregulation in 2001, and beyond. Only about 25 percent of the growers who were producing in the 1990s are still growing apples today, she said. She has seen firsthand the frustration borne out of the intense financial pressure growers have experienced for many years – exacerbated recently by the strength of the New Zealand dollar.

Despite the difficult marketing environment, Dawn wholeheartedly believes in the commitment and wherewithal of the ENZA growers – and their ability to create what she terms as “a renaissance” in the apple category.

“With Jazz and Pacific Rose thriving, and other excellent varieties, like T.22 [recently branded as Envy™] waiting in the wings, retailers are looking to ENZA to help them differentiate the apple aisle,” she said. “ENZA built its reputation on new varieties. We can drive the resurgence of the category by doing what we do best: developing new varieties, delivering excellent apple flavor, and keeping the promise of quality. We’re going back to our roots – taking what we are good at and putting a 21st century spin on it.

“In some ways, apples have been marginalized by other fruits competing for share of shelf and stomach,” Dawn continued. “But items like the Jazz apple can do a lot to change that.”

She cited consistent flavor and eating experience as essential to building a following for Jazz.

“We can grow and ship a consistent Jazz apple regardless of its origin,” she explained.  “Retailers and consumers have a consistent experience with Jazz, each and every time. It’s an absolutely stunning apple, and our growers throughout the world are connected at the wallet, so there’s a vested interest in working together to maintain this consistency.”

Dawn believes that through vertical integration, new varieties, and global partnership, ENZA—and Oppenheimer—can be optimistic about the future of the brand.

“During my 33 years in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry I have had the pleasure of working with some pretty amazing groups of people. The team I have around me here in NZ is really a credit to Kiwis everywhere,” she said. “Add that to the terrific results Oppenheimer gets for ENZA through its superb product knowledge and service, by continuing our good work together, we can help drive the apple category into a better future.”

--Story by Karin Gardner, Communications Manager