April 9, 2018

United Fresh to recognize industry leaders with two achievement awards

The United Fresh Produce Association will present its 2018 United FreshTEC and United FreshMKT Achievement Awards to two leaders who it said have made their mark on the fresh produce industry.

Edward Harwood (left), Mason Arnold (right)

Receiving the United FreshTEC Achievement Award for outstanding technical achievements is Edward Harwood of AeroFarms and receiving the United FreshMKT Achievement Award for outstanding marketing achievements is Mason Arnold of Cece’s Veggie Noodle Company.

Harwood is the co-founder and chief science officer of AeroFarms, which has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, Global Cleantech 100, Inc.com’s Top 25 Disruptive Companies, winner of the World Technology Award for Most Impactful Environmental Company and a finalist for The Circular Awards of The World Economic Forum.

He has over 40 years of agricultural and engineering experience in dairy and horticulture industries with several patents in the field. Prior to AeroFarms, Harwood was an associate professor at Cornell University, as well as the associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

United Fresh describes Arnold as a serial entrepreneur with fresh food, organics and sustainability always at the core. His latest venture founded in 2015, Cece’s Veggie Noodles, delivered the first pre-packaged, USDA certified organic spiralized vegetables.

Arnold used his background as a chemical engineer to invent a proprietary spiralizing process. Under Arnold’s leadership, the company expanded its product line to offer organic riced vegetables and vegetable-centered meal kits.

He and his businesses have received 25 different awards such as “Best Local Food Company” nine years in a row in the Austin Chronicle, and business innovation awards by PC Magazine, Dell and more. Arnold has received national attention for his companies including feature stories in New York Times, Business Week, Entrepreneur magazine, Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, radio appearances on NPR’s On Point and others.

Both Harwood and Arnold will be recognized on Monday afternoon, June 25 at the United FreshTEC and United FreshMKT conferences, respectively, in Chicago. Registration is available online at www.UnitedFreshShow.org.





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