Village Farms International has appointed Yvonne Trupiano as its first Global Chief Human Resources Officer as the company pursues aggressive international growth in the cannabis, CBD, and plant-based consumer goods sectors.
The newly created executive role will see Trupiano, who joins as Executive Vice President and Global CHRO, lead human capital strategy across the company’s diverse global operations. Based in Vancouver, Village Farms operates in Canada, the United States, Europe, and other international markets, with a focus on regulated cannabis and controlled-environment agriculture.
“We are excited to welcome Yvonne to Village Farms, and look forward to her contributions during a pivotal period of transformation and international expansion,” said Michael DeGiglio, CEO of Village Farms.
He cited Trupiano’s track record scaling global businesses and her “passion for developing talent and driving continuous improvement” as key assets as the company builds out its workforce and global capabilities.
Extensive HR experience in retail and consumer goods
Trupiano brings more than 25 years of human resources leadership experience, primarily in the retail, food distribution, and insurance sectors. Her background includes executive roles at Fortune 500 companies such as Avis Budget Group and SpartanNash, and she has worked across both private and publicly traded organizations.
Most recently, she served as chief human resources officer for a large insurance provider. Her expertise includes talent development, organizational transformation, and building high-performing teams.
“I am proud to join Village Farms and look forward to helping the Company achieve its international growth objectives and develop a talented global workforce,” said Trupiano. “I was drawn to this opportunity by the Company’s strong reputation as a pioneer in its industry and its deep commitment to its people and communities.”
Global footprint expanding across cannabis and CBD markets
Village Farms has evolved from its roots in fresh produce into a vertically integrated supplier of high-growth, plant-based consumer packaged goods. Its Canadian subsidiary, Pure Sunfarms, is one of the largest legal cannabis operations globally and a key player in the country’s adult-use cannabis market. The company also holds a majority stake in Québec-based Rose LifeScience.
Outside of Canada, Village Farms is targeting emerging legal cannabis markets in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the U.S. It exports medical cannabis from its EU GMP-certified facility to Germany, the U.K., Israel, and Australia, with plans to expand further through new export contracts and international partnerships.
In the Netherlands, Village Farms’ subsidiary Leli Holland holds one of 10 licences to grow and distribute recreational cannabis. In the U.S., the company operates Balanced Health Botanicals, a CBD and hemp-derived brand, and is preparing for a future entry into the high-THC cannabis market, pending regulatory developments.
The company also maintains a clean energy venture through Village Farms Clean Energy, which converts landfill gas into renewable natural gas through a partnership with Terreva Renewables. That facility helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Vancouver region.
As the company grows across multiple sectors and jurisdictions, the addition of a global HR leader is intended to help unify its workforce strategy and reinforce a high-performance culture.
