In a recent conversation with Mike Harberson, the California Field Manager at West Pak Avocado, we discussed his nearly 35 years with the company and the continued resilience of the local growing region. With extensive experience in agricultural management and a deep understanding of avocado cultivation, Mike plays a crucial role in overseeing California field operations and ensuring the highest quality of produce. Join us as we explore his insights into the world of avocados and how West Pak continues to deliver everyone’s favorite green fruit from the Golden State.
You’re coming up on your 35th year with West Pak Avocado. How do you feel about achieving that impressive milestone?
MH: I began my career at West Pak as a young man of 25, and now, closing in on 60, it blows my mind. It doesn’t feel like that long since I began working at West Pak at their little packinghouse in Fallbrook 35 years ago.
When I first started at West Pak, California avocados were the only fruit we, along with other handlers, packed. So, seeing the company grow into a global powerhouse has been amazing. I feel lucky to have been able to work for a company and its two owners for most of my career.
What made you choose West Pak for your career?
MH: I had finished school at ASU and wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue pursuing a career in teaching and coaching. My stepdad, Dave Culpeper, worked for Galen Newhouse and Randy Shoup. I have known them since I was in high school, and they said they were looking for a new field buyer and asked if I might be interested. I decided I would take advantage of the opportunity, and I’ve been here now, closing in on 35 years.
What impresses you most about the company?
MH: The vision and commitment of Galen and Randy to become one of the largest global avocado packers. Seeing the second generation of Newhouse and Shoup, along with Mario Pacheco as CEO, carry on and continue to help grow the company has been incredible. Their cutting-edge mindset and vision are unparalleled.
What has been your journey with West Pak?
MH: The Field department is the only position I’ve represented West Pak in my 34 years with the
company. My West Pak journey began as a southern field buyer. I grew up in North San Diego County and was living in Encinitas when I started working for the company.
I would come up to the Ventura and Santa Barbara County growing areas with Galen and then eventually on my own to learn and train with a field buyer who was representing and buying fruit at the time in the northern growing region. I worked for three years in the south before making the move to Ventura, which is where I’ve been living for 31 years now.
The first three years in the south were not very productive years for me in buying fruit. In fact, I began to wonder if this was what I really wanted to do for my career. West Pak was looking to hire another field buyer to help grow in the north, so Galen asked if I would consider taking the position as a northern field buyer. I was hesitant at first, not knowing if this was really what I wanted to do, but I thought about it long and hard and ended up taking the position, and I have been representing West Pak in the north for the past 31 years.
Looking back, I really appreciate Galen and Randy taking a chance with me, considering I wasn’t gaining much traction and contributing during my tenure in the south.
Congratulations on your recent promotion to California Field Manager. What do you most look forward to in your new role?
MH: Continue to do all I can to help keep California growers a part of West Pak’s future in a world that now has many countries of origin. It’s tough for California growers to compete with other countries, whose cost to grow is much cheaper than in California. We continue to be a smaller piece of the big picture. I represent California and want to do all I can to keep California part of West Pak’s future.
Working with the great field team going into the 2026 California avocado season. Andrew Gabrszak and I are the two veterans with nearly 70 years of combined experience. There’s also Russell Huizinga, our young buyer, who is really starting to come into his own and gaining confidence with growers, and Scott Savard, who is coming over from a successful farming career of growing lemons and avocados and now buying fruit for West Pak.
We recently hired Alfredo (Freddy) Garcia, who will be training as a West Pak GAP representative and junior field buyer. He will represent West Pak in the south and will be shadowing and honing his skills with Andrew, who has been buying and farming some of West Pak’s southern ranches for 30-plus years.
I see this California Field team, along with our drivers, who pick up fruit and haul for us out of the field, as being one of the best teams representing California since I’ve been at West Pak. The Administrative team we currently have in place, led by Margie Cervantes, along with Diane Gutierrez, is second to none. They, along with the drivers, are what really make everything successful. So, I’m excited to work with them and help improve anywhere we can.
The team we have has a great mix of seasoned veterans and young buyers heading into 2026, and I’m looking forward to representing and leading this team during the upcoming California season.
I’m also looking forward to working closely with Sales, Supply Chain, and Production, to understand their needs as well as expressing the needs of our growers, so we can grow and see West Pak have a successful 2026.
In a nutshell, how would you best describe your responsibilities in your new position?
MH: In the past, I focused more on my personal success and growth as a field buyer. Now I will be representing not only myself, but also my department. So, the focus will now not only be on my success, but also on the success of every individual in the California Field Department.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
MH: My favorite part of my job is, and has always been, being in the field and establishing relationships with growers, as well as peers in the industry. In fact, I have growers that I’ve been working with and buying fruit from for 30+ years. Many of them are not just growers we buy fruit from, but they are some of my best friends. Seeing their success, as well as the success and growth of West Pak, has been awesome.
What is your current role in:
- Supporting Growers
MH: We, as field buyers, not only agree on a price with growers and buy their fruit, but we also estimate their crops, give cultural advise/suggestions, alert them if we see fruit drop, sun damage, exposed fruit, pest flare ups (persea mite, scirtothrips), fruit stem damage due to heat or cold, marketing information and timing of harvest, industry related information trends, etc.
- Ensuring Fruit Quality
MH: Continue to identify and focus on better ranches. Spend more time and energy buying fruit from growers who are good farmers who produce quality fruit.
As buyers, we need to be out at the ranches when fruit is being picked, assess fruit quality, and keep an eye on the picking crews to make sure they are picking what was agreed upon. Being in the field during picking and seeing what is being picked is the best way to ensure fruit quality and relaying that information back to Sales, Production, and other relevant departments.
- Strengthening West Pak’s California Operations
MH: Continue to provide California fruit in a timely manner for sales promotions, provide consistent volume for packing, provide the best fruit available for the needs of Sales, both domestically and export business, and be as accurate as possible with Supply Chain.
I would like to help different departments (Sales, Production, Supply Chain) better understand California (in all the growing regions of California) and the evolution of the fruit from flower/fruit set all the way until it’s harvested, to have a better understanding of the tree and fruit characteristics
and development/changes during the growing season.
In your opinion, what makes California avocados (and growers) so special?
MH: I would have to say their passion and being so resilient are what make them special.
During the California season, they are the best avocados available. With increased global demand combined with the high costs of growing, it’s hard for California growers to compete with other countries, but our fruit continues to be and always will be the best during the California season.
California growers and their passion for their fruit, even during challenging times, as they compete with other countries of origin, is amazing. They are very resilient and continue to do all they can to send a wonderful piece of fruit to the market.
You must remember, when I first started at West Pak, California was the only game in town. So, the California grower has experienced and seen many changes in the avocado industry. They continue to see their window of opportunity shrink as other countries expand into the United States, yet they continue to push forward and fight for their fruit in the marketplace.
