Whether it’s a drive down to the Oregon Coast or a flight back to her spouse’s home in the United Kingdom, Catherine Gipe-Stewart is driven by an internal drive to explore. At her home in Yakima, Washington, this may take the form of uncovering recipes in her kitchen or surveying the growth of her own garden and compost wormery.
Sitting at her desk as Director of Marketing for Superfresh Growers®, this passion for exploration transforms into something much more refined: A honed skill for pushing the boundaries of marketing innovation and the overall advancement of the fresh produce industry.
Come explore the industry expert and changemaker’s journey with me—from her first paid job picking blueberries to being a vital member of a sixth-generation apple, cherry, blueberry, pear, and kiwi berry operation.
Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Director of Marketing, Superfresh Growers®: In a roundabout way, my life has always touched agriculture, but it wasn’t until 2015 that I entered the produce industry.
Growing up in Corvallis, Oregon, I was surrounded by mint, blueberries, grass, and hay. My grandfather was an Iowan soy and corn farmer, and I spent my summers four-wheeling around the farm with him. One middle school summer, he let me harvest his garden of snap peas. We brought them to the local natural food store, and I was allowed to take home the profit as pay. I remember my grandpa’s pride in his crop and him sharing that pride with me. Working for a sixth-generation farm now, that lesson has stuck. I feel their pride, and I’m proud of what we grow and sell.
In my university years, I fell in love with social business and majored in Global Development Studies. During university, I worked as a tour guide and retail associate at the certified fair trade, organic bean-to-bar chocolate maker Theo Chocolate in Seattle, Washington.
I was looking for a change of pace in 2015 when a friend mentioned a marketing position open at Superfresh Growers. I jumped at the opportunity and have been here ever since.
CGS: Theo inspired my switch to social business, deepening my understanding of fair trade, the economics of buying products from developing countries, and how companies’ purchases can deeply affect the labor conditions of other nations.
One of the biggest influences from my past experiences is the amount of labor, love, and energy that go into producing, delivering, and serving our food. Every step takes skill, and every single person on your company’s team is essential to its success.
“I’m proud to be part of an industry that continues to champion gender equity. After 10 years in produce, I’ve witnessed remarkable progress, and it’s been inspiring to see more women stepping into leadership roles.”
Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Director of Marketing, Superfresh Growers®
CGS: As Director of Marketing, I wear many hats, including managing the execution of our marketing plans with retailers and consumers, and working with our farm team and telling their grower stories. Much of what I do is connect the dots between Superfresh’s sales goals and retailer merchandising plans while balancing what is best for the grower. It’s fun to take all the pieces and put them together in a way that drives consumption for all parties.
CGS: The produce industry supports each other in ways that I’ve not witnessed in other industries. We advocate for change, career growth, and leadership. We advocate for diversity and equity on our farms, production facilities, offices, and logistics teams.
I’m proud to be part of an industry that continues to champion gender equity. After 10 years in produce, I’ve witnessed remarkable progress, and it’s been inspiring to see more women stepping into leadership roles. Serving on the International Fresh Produce Association’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives Committee has been a true pleasure, as it has provided a front-row seat to these positive changes.
I’m continually inspired by the incredible people who support equity in our industry. Male allyship is essential as we move forward, creating safe spaces for our diverse teams. Having advocates who speak up when necessary is crucial to fostering equity in produce, and it’s up to all of us to hold each other accountable.
I’m deeply honored to have been mentored by so many men and women who are true changemakers. Produce is a wonderfully diverse community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.
CGS: The Superfresh marketing team has brought marketing in-house, taking full control of our creative process and timelines. Our team leads the industry in packaging design, videography, social media, digital marketing, e-commerce, advertisement design, trademark and brand protection, show booth execution, and more.
Over the years, we’ve grown our team to include experts in design, event planning, videography, and social media. We also have an amazing business development team that works hand-in-hand with our marketing department.
“Produce is a wonderfully diverse community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”
CGS: I’m excited to see how Superfresh Growers evolves with technological advances. Farming practices and production facilities are becoming increasingly automated, and farmworkers are transitioning into roles as technicians and robotic experts. At every step of the farming process, we are finding ways to be at the cutting edge of technology, often designing the tech ourselves or partnering with the top ag-tech companies in the industry. Farm-to-home delivery is also changing with the rise of drone technology. Plus, smartwatches and wearable tech are guiding consumer purchases based on individualized nutrition needs. It’s a thrilling time to be a marketer.
I’m also eager to grow with Superfresh in our journey toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). It’s exciting to celebrate our industry leadership in equity, but there’s always more work to be done. I look forward to continuing our roundtable discussions on DE&I and fostering a safe and inclusive culture at Superfresh Growers.
As we close out this insightful conversation, I can already see the waves of change stirring in Catherine’s wake. Call it passion, drive, or the heart of an explorer, the industry leader is raising the standard for produce marketing while making sure the entire industry advances alongside her. 
