Jon Esformes

Why you should listen

Jon Esformes is a fourth-generation steward of the Esformes and Heller family legacies in fresh produce. He is CEO and operating partner for Pacific Tomato Growers, doing business as Sunripe Certified Brands. His hands-on approach to managing farming, packing and marketing operations across the United States and Mexico is matched by his dedication to industry collaboration. In 2022, he served on the Florida Farmworker Advisory Council, and in 2023, he shared his insights on labor issues at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, moderated by US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Recognizing a need to evolve, he led Pacific Tomato Growers to become the first grower to sign a direct agreement with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Fair Food Program in 2010. That decision led the rest of the tomato growers in the state to follow suit, and the program now covers 90 percent of workers in the Florida tomato industry.