Calavo Growers appoints former finance chief as new CEO

Core Insights - Calavo Growers has appointed B. John Lindeman as the new CEO, succeeding Lee Cole, who will retire on December 8 [1] - Lindeman previously served as CEO of Hydrofarm Holdings Group and has extensive experience in the industry, including a prior role as CFO at Calavo [3][4] - The company is currently evaluating strategic alternatives following takeover interest received in June [5][6] Company Performance - For the fiscal third quarter ended July 31, 2025, Calavo reported net sales of $178.8 million, a decrease of 0.4% year-on-year [6] - Fresh segment sales were $155.9 million, reflecting a 5% decline, while prepared segment sales increased by 40% to $22.9 million [6] - Operating income fell by 7.5% to $8.6 million, with net income reported at $4.7 million, compared to a loss of $762,000 in the previous year [7] - For the nine months ended July 31, net sales totaled $523.7 million, an increase of 6.5% compared to the prior-year period [7] - Fresh segment sales rose by 6% to $470.3 million, and prepared segment sales increased by 10% to $53.5 million [7]