MBG Marketing CEO Brad Moorer dies

MBG Marketing and Naturipe Farms is mourning the loss of its CEO, Brad Moorer. Moorer, 48, died Aug. 7.

Moorer led MBG Marketing and its growers for nearly 15 years. He started his career as chief financial officer and vice president of value-added business before being promoted in 2022 to the position of CEO.

Under Moorer’s leadership, MBG Marketing strengthened and expanded its Berry Blue-branded genetics program and its focus on the development of new and improved blueberry varieties, according to a news release.

“Brad placed enormous value on the quality of berries sold by MBG Marketing and worked tirelessly to improve practices and to deliver the best fruit possible,” the release stated. “His goal was always to ‘delight the consumer’, but Brad was also a fierce advocate for the domestic berry grower, often serving in industry leadership roles and engaging politically, all with the singular goal of making life better for American farmers.”

In addition to his wife and children, Moorer is survived by his father and other family members.

He died at his home in Saugatuck, Michigan. Moorer was known for supporting the Saugatuck community and helping those in need, according to his obituary.

Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Moorer graduated from The Citadel in 1999 with a degree in business accounting and later earned a master’s degree in business leadership from Michigan State University. In 2011, Moorer and his family relocated to Michigan when he accepted a position and later became the CEO of MBG Marketing.

A visitation was scheduled for Aug. 12 at Dykstra Funeral Home in Holland, Michigan, with a private funeral service scheduled for Aug. 13.

MBG leaders called Moorer’s premature departure “a huge loss” that will be felt not only by his colleagues at MBG Marketing and Naturipe Farms but also from partners including Naturipe Berry Growers, Hortifrut and Munger Farms, who constitute combined ownership group of Naturipe Farms, according to the release.

Based in Grand Junction, Michigan, MBG Marketing is a domestic blueberry and blackberry cooperative that sells its fruit under the Naturipe Farms label.

Naturipe Farms markets conventional and organic fresh and processed strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and also avocados.