If you’ve been around the organic scene a while, you likely know or know of Greg McAlister. From bringing a grocery-style introduction to an infant “health store” Whole Foods to introducing trailblazing supply changes to the California organic scene, Greg has had a storied career in organic produce.
“In February of 2020, Rod Braga and I got to go back to Austin, Texas, and attend the Whole Foods Supplier Awards. Braga Fresh was awarded as a Supplier of the Year, which felt like a full-circle moment. To go back to where I started and be given that award with Rod [Braga] and Braga Fresh was something I’m very proud of,” Greg reflected as we discussed his professional timeline.
It was the beginning of a perfect bookend as it turns out—Greg took a step back as Vice President of Sales just one year later and began a transitioning process to retirement that concluded April 25, 2024.
“Greg has been a cornerstone of our company's growth since joining us nine years ago. Both his experience and organic expertise have been invaluable, and our family will always be grateful for him,” Rod Braga, Chief Executive Officer of Braga Fresh, shared with me.
Greg’s professional timeline closely parallels the trajectory of organized organic growing. While it begins with his sophomore year of high school in 1975 working at a Tom Thumb Supermarkets in Dallas, Texas, it’s a random compulsion to check out an unfamiliar store that set him on his path.
“It was early 1983. I just happened to drive by what was the first Whole Foods Market and was curious. So, I went in to see what it was and ran into somebody I knew. They grabbed the Produce Team Leader and said they should hire me,” Greg recalls.
It was a pattern that would map out Greg’s career. In nearly 50 years, he never submitted a resume or even filled out a job application. His work ethic and reputation preceded him from Texas to California, where he brought his organic foundation to shaping organic standards by helping start a couple of produce companies.
As we go through pictures and reflect on what he both saw and did, Greg looks at one in particular which he says felt like a landmark moment: The first hydrocooler he and Ocean Organic Produce had built to cool exclusively organic product.
While leading Ocean Organic Produce, Greg and his partner took it upon themselves to ensure organic items stayed separated from conventional throughout the process. These steps, common knowledge now, had never been taken before.
With his ingenuity being easy to spot, Greg had the opportunity to work for a number of leading growers and budding California organic stalwarts.
“I was lucky enough to work for three incredible farming families that became large-scale organic producers. I will always be incredibly appreciative of the Duncans of Cal-Organic, the Grimms of Grimmway Farms, and the Bragas at Braga Fresh,” he shares.
Amid blazing new trails and setting early takes of current standards, Greg came to know Rod Braga in what would be his last organic career move.
“Rod offered me an opportunity to come help him build out the Josie's Organic label. Since 2015, I’ve worked on improving quality and cooling techniques, changing boxes, and bringing over customer contacts to build up the sales. I got to help Braga establish itself in the market as a good quality shipper, until I felt it was time to retire,” Greg shares.
As I write the words, the alignment of the timing Greg must have experienced falls into place like an orchestrated narrative. Few of us have a moment we recognize for the turn of events or close of a chapter it might be, yet Greg knowingly witnessed his. He felt it as he helped his final organic employer accept an award from his first one, with a career spanning decades to connect the two. And, as he seems to have throughout that journey, he read the signs just right.
Along the way, he helped shape not only organic operations as we know it, but many of the people known today to be doing the same. Like Greg’s produce legacy, there is much more beyond the close of this article.
Congratulations Greg, and thank you for all you have done!
Anthony Innocenti, Managing Partner, LIV Produce
"The greatest thing about Greg McAlister is how he dedicates himself and his time. He is productive and thorough. We developed a solid relationship out of the gate in the early 2000s; he became an amazing mentor and we are still close to this day. No matter how busy he or I was—I always wanted to understand how things worked and the impacts, so he would take the time to truly explain everything to me. I left every conversation feeling fulfilled. Everything he said has always been incredibly meaningful, to this day he and I both make reaching out a priority and we will continue to even if he has retired. Congratulations Greg!"
Edmund LaMacchia, Former Vice President of Perishables, Whole Foods Market
"Greg was an innovator who improved the quality of organic produce production and distribution in the very earliest days of the trade. His ability to assess product while walking a field, led to new service standards for organic produce. Greg's impact elevated the organic produce trade in the ’80s and contributed to its ongoing growth for over 40 years.”
Bonnie Poux, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Access Organics
“I had the honor of working with Greg early in my organic produce career, in the mid- to late-1980s. Ocean Organic was a new concept for the organic industry, providing sales and proper organic handling for small, mid-sized, and large organic farmers on a national scale.
Greg was and continues to be one of the humblest superstars I have ever worked with. I had only a little knowledge about farming and sales when I started working with Greg, but quickly learned more than I could have imagined. His calm demeanor while he handled tremendous pressure never wavered. His incredible attention to detail, multi-tasking abilities, foresight, and follow-through for both the growers and the customers helped to build a strong foundation for the organic industry. Greg’s profound professional capabilities helped to shape some of the most respected organic brands in the industry. His retirement is very well deserved, but he will be missed by the many colleagues and friends he worked with over the decades in this business.”
Todd Linsky, Founder, TLC
“When I started my journey in produce, I was a wide-eyed optimist as clueless as a box of rocks. If it weren’t for a chance meeting in the late '80s with S&S Produce and Greg McAlister, my trajectory in produce—and maybe organic produce—would be a whole lot different.
Greg has a kind heart and is always willing to share his knowledge, but don’t be fooled by his laid-back demeanor. Behind that quiet exterior is a market wizard who can outthink the best of them. I know this because, for over 20 years, we were practically joined at the hip—from S&S Produce in Los Angeles, California, to Bud Capuro’s cabbage shed in Moss Landing, to the newly created sales office at Cal-Organic and rounding out a bit at Braga Fresh. We opened doors and put organic produce on mainstream shelves that had never seen or heard of organic before. Greg quietly drove sales growth and consumer confidence without the world even realizing it.
I'm honored that he’s my friend, confidant, and one of the few people who can tolerate my antics. His quiet Texas swagger is legendary in this industry and will be sorely missed.” 
