Bengard Ranch Adds Third-Generation Leader to Strengthen Retail Reach

Bengard Ranch, a premiere vegetable grower and shipper in Salinas, Calif., has added Christian Bengard—a third-generation family member—as its new sales executive to boost the company’s retail reach and label recognition across the U.S. and Canada.

“We’re pleased to welcome Christian into the sales office,” said Ken Silveira, president of Bengard Ranch. “His perspective as part of the next generation of the family will play an important role as we continue building on the strong foundation the Bengard family has already established.”

The Bengard family has a rich history in the Salinas Valley, dating back to the late 1850’s. Founded in 1961, Bengard Ranch is one of the largest grower-shippers of vegetables in the United States and prides itself in being a consistent and reliable year-round supplier in California, Arizona and Florida.

In his new position, Bengard will support sales, business development and product management efforts, concentrating on strengthening customer relationships, driving commercial growth initiatives and advancing strategic priorities across key markets. 

“I think that honoring the company legacy and my approach in sales balances very well without much effort,” Bengard said. “I’ve always strived to be transparent and trusting with my customers, creating more of a partnership that allows us to be fair and helpful with each other. One cannot exist without the other and developing trust is important for long lasting relationships with our customers.”

He brings more than six years of produce sales experience with Well-Pict/Gem-Pack, along with extensive experience in the fresh produce industry.

“The experience I received from Well-Pict and Gem-Pack was second to none,” Bengard said. “Dan Crowley was the best mentor to me. My approach to customer relationships and business development is centered around consistent communication, transparency of information from the field and mutual value in growth and sales. Fair pricing and consistency is much more important than selling at the highest price periodically.”

Looking ahead, Bengard sees many opportunities for expanding Bengard Ranch’s retail presence and strengthening label recognition across the U.S. and Canada.

“The Bengard label has so much potential to expand,” Bengard said. “The most important factor to getting involved with more retail is creating more visibility in every market. We are so confident in our quality and customer service that I personally believe we can satisfy the needs of any customer on a daily basis. The sales team has decades of experience and the ability to adapt to fulfill retailers wishes.”