Vertical Farming Leader Kalera Welcomes Maria Sastre to Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Kalera has appointed Maria Sastre to its Board of Directors to support its rapid expansion into new markets. With over 25 years of experience in the food, travel, and tourism sectors, Sastre brings valuable operational and customer service expertise. Her prior roles include leadership positions at Signature Aviation and Royal Caribbean Cruises. This appointment coincides with Kalera's acquisition of Vindara Inc., which develops seeds for vertical farming. Kalera operates two facilities in Orlando and plans to establish locations across major U.S. cities, leveraging a closed-loop irrigation system that reduces water usage by 95%.

Positive

• Appointment of Maria Sastre to the Board expected to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.
• Expected benefits from Sastre's extensive leadership experience in scaling businesses and managing operations.
• Acquisition of Vindara Inc. strengthens Kalera's position in vertical farming with specialized seeds.

Negative

• None.

Sastre brings world-class customer service and operations experience as Kalera prepares for rapid domestic and international expansion

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kalera (Euronext Growth Oslo ticker KAL, Bloomberg: KSLLF), one of the fastest-growing and largest vertical farming companies in the world and a leader in plant science for producing high-quality produce in controlled environments, today announced the appointment of Maria Sastre to its Board of Directors. A seasoned executive with experience in the food, travel, and tourism industries, Sastre brings with her over 25 years of executive leadership and experience and currently sits on the boards of esteemed, Fortune 500, multibillion dollar public and private companies, including General Mills, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Publix Supermarkets. The addition of Sastre to the board coincides with Kalera's rapid expansion into several new markets and its acquisition of Vindara Inc., the first company to develop seeds specifically designed for use in vertical indoor farm environments as well as other controlled environment agriculture (CEA) farming methods.

“We are thrilled that someone of Maria’s caliber has chosen to join Kalera’s board,” said Daniel Malechuk, Kalera CEO. “Her resume is beyond impressive, with extensive experience leading highly successful international and growing companies, and is a strong complement to our industry-leading management team and board of directors. She has proven time and again that she is invaluable in helping scale businesses, and will be an incredible asset to Kalera during this time of rapid growth, both domestically and abroad.”

In addition to her aforementioned business experience, Sastre also served on numerous civic and non-profit boards such as the Greater Miami Visitors and Convention Bureau(Chair), the Executive Advisory Board of Florida International University School of Hospitality,and the Executive Board of the United Way of Miami-Dade County. She has been recognized as one of the Top 80 U.S. Hispanics and Top 20 Latinas and has received numerous awards in the travel and hospitality industry sectors. Sastre's education includes a Bachelor's degree and a Master's in Business Administration, both from New York Institute of Technology.

“As someone with a passion for optimizing customer experiences, I am proud to join Kalera’s board as I fully believe their product is a category leader,” said Maria Sastre, new Kalera board member. “Kalera has the opportunity to serve diverse customer segments and increase accessibility to a product that is inherently safer, cleaner, fresher, more sustainable, and more nutritious and flavorful. In a world where brands are looking for ways to differentiate their products and services to their discerning customers, the Kalera portfolio is well positioned to offer the best vertical farming product solution. I trust my years of experience in operations and customer service will prove beneficial as Kalera expands into new markets.”

Sastre previously served as the President and Chief Operating Officer for Signature Aviation, the largest worldwide network of fixed-based operations and maintenance centers for private aviation. Before joining Signature, she spent eight years at Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD, where she held the positions of Vice President, International, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia; and Vice President of Hotel Operations. Her roles included strategic growth across emerging markets as well as managing all aspects of operations and the guest experience onboard Royal Caribbean's fleet of vessels. Previously, Sastre served as Vice President of Worldwide Customer Satisfaction for United Airlines, where she led the newly created customer-satisfaction division charged with refining the customer-service experience.

Kalera currently operates two growing facilities in Orlando, and is building facilities in Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Columbus, Seattle, and Hawaii. Kalera is the only controlled environment agriculture company with coast-to-coast facilities being constructed, offering grocers, restaurants, theme parks, airports and other businesses nationwide reliable access to locally grown clean, safe, nutritious, price-stable, long-lasting greens.Kalera uses a closed-loop irrigation system which enables its plants to grow while consuming 95% less water compared to field farming.

About Kalera

Kalera is a technology driven vertical farming company with unique growing methods combining optimized nutrients and light recipes, precise environmental controls, and clean room standards to produce safe, highly nutritious, pesticide-free, non-GMO vegetables with consistent high quality and longer shelf life year-round. The company’s high-yield, automated, data-driven hydroponic production facilities have been designed for rapid rollout with industry-leading payback times to grow vegetables faster, cleaner, at a lower cost, and with less environmental impact. To learn more visit www.Kalera.com.

Media Contact
Molly Antos
Phone: (847) 848-2090
Email: molly@dadascope.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bb487877-0d3b-4e1c-9492-9ea280c217a1

 

FAQ

What is the significance of Maria Sastre's appointment to Kalera's Board?

Maria Sastre's appointment is significant as it brings extensive experience in operations and customer service, which can help Kalera during its rapid expansion.

How does the acquisition of Vindara Inc. benefit Kalera?

The acquisition of Vindara Inc. benefits Kalera by providing access to seeds specifically designed for indoor vertical farming, enhancing its product offerings.

What are Kalera's expansion plans following the Board appointment?

Following Maria Sastre's appointment, Kalera plans to expand its facilities across major U.S. cities, enhancing access to locally grown produce.

How does Kalera's closed-loop irrigation system impact its operations?

Kalera's closed-loop irrigation system allows for a 95% reduction in water usage compared to traditional farming, promoting sustainability in its operations.