A true leader takes the time to develop their skills early in their career. This is certainly the case with Tony Illiano, Category Manager of Grapes and Senior Sales Representative at Oppy. Having spent an impressive amount of time with the company, it is clear that Tony is a guiding force in produce sales. I sat down with him to learn a bit more about the industry through his eyes…
“Putting together a puzzle where you don’t know if you are missing pieces, and the pieces you do have keep moving around. As the East Coast Grape Category Manager, I take our customer demand information and figure out how to source it from up to four different countries. We deal with over 30 growers, so the amount of moving pieces at any one time is infinite.”
“Being in sales, you need to be resilient and able to juke and jive as needed. We never want to let a customer down, and when you add in the uniqueness of perishability and variability of fresh produce, the challenges can be intense. The lessons you learn by selling produce truly make you ready for all the twists and turns.”
“I grew up with an immigrant Italian father from a small town outside of Naples, Italy, who owned a restaurant in Hammonton, New Jersey. Growing up with that background in the blueberry farming town of Hammonton, I learned what hard work really is, as well as a true passion for food. My love of everything food is what led me to get my degree in food marketing from Saint Joseph University in Pennsylvania. This is where I ultimately found my passion for marketing produce and working with growers from all over the world.”
“Sales would be a cheetah—fast, agile, and always on the hunt. Like a cheetah, a great salesperson needs speed to seize opportunities, agility to navigate challenges, and sharp instincts to close the deal before the competition does.”
Cal Tribiano, Oppy – “Unfortunately, Cal passed away in 2021 but worked in produce for nearly 50 years. I was lucky to learn from Cal for over 10 years. He taught me what true customer service looked like and the success it brought. Cal was the No. 1 salesperson at Oppy for many straight years, and his customers knew that, no matter what they needed, Cal would go to the end of the world to do it for them.”
Bill Poulos, Oppy – “Bill has been with Oppy for over 40 years and selling/managing grapes for over 35. He has taught me everything I know about the complex world of grapes and its growers worldwide.”
“I have grown into my current role in a pretty conventional way. I started as a sales assistant to learn our systems from senior people. Then I moved into the grape category Sales Coordinator role where I learned how to manage and sell grapes. From there I moved into my current role.”
"The next generation of produce professionals should prioritize sustainability, leverage technology for efficiency, and build strong grower and retail partnerships to ensure fresh, high-quality produce reaches consumers. They should also take this phrase to heart: ‘The only thing consistent in produce is change.'" 
