New distribution facility and lettuce produce manager for Sakata Seed

Sakata Seed America announces that it has a new, permanent lettuce distribution facility and has appointed a new lettuce product manager, all within the past few weeks.

Since the company’s acquisition of lettuce company Vanguard Seed in 2020, Sakata has quickly scaled its lettuce seed program, leveraging existing R&D, pathology, sales and marketing, supply chain and production teams to streamline future breeding efforts and efficiently meet market demand.

“We’re dedicated to success in the lettuce category. Success for the grower/shipper and success for the end consumer. We saw obvious synergy with the lettuce segment, which is only strengthened by our prominence in the Salinas Valley,” says Justin Davis, director of sales and marketing. “The next phase is to continue investment in the lettuce product development team and infrastructure expansion.”

Left to right: Jonny McIntier, Justin Davis

Sakata’s new facility, located at 3345 Paul Davis Drive, Marina, CA, is central to the Salinas Valley, allowing for easy seed pick up for customers. The facility offers more than 20,000 square feet, providing ample warehouse space, temperature-controlled storage and an office area -- all to accommodate a growing team and promising crop venture.

Sakata has also added a new team member, Jonny McIntier, to manage the lettuce program. McIntier is widely known in the vegetable seed industry, boasting over 20 years of experience, including a long tenure at Bayer where he specialized in technical development and sales for crops including lettuce, broccoli, melon, carrot, peppers, cauliflower and watermelon.

“McIntier is a fantastic addition to the team. His knowledge is vast in product development and management, and he has a thorough understanding of breeding techniques, product launches and life cycles. He will be based out of our Yuma, Arizona facility, keeping him close to another major lettuce growing region,” says Davis.

The new facility will be fully operational beginning Monday, March 21st, 2022. To learn more about Sakata lettuce, other crops, or personnel, please visit www.sakatavegetables.com.