Meet Your Partners in Growth Series: Brooke Ranes

Brooke Ranes, Sales & Account Manager

The first thing you need to know about Holloway Ag and Environmental Sales and Account Manager Brooke Ranes is that she’s a problem solver. Brooke has a mind for logistics and is solutions driven, something Holloway’s customers and partners can appreciate in today’s ever-evolving landscape. And while she may be newer to Holloway, she is no novice when it comes to agriculture, logistics and our global food chain.

Growing up in Arroyo Grande, Brooke is a self-described “coast girl” who has always had an appreciation and love for agriculture.

“A lot of our family friends were farmers, and I really liked their down-to-earth attitudes,” Brooke remembers. “I always wanted to get into business and thought ag was interesting, so that’s the direction I went.”

After getting her degree in Ag Business from Cal Poly, Brooke was recruited by Taylor Farms, which is headquartered in Salinas, “the salad bowl of the country.” She started with the company nine days after graduation and stayed there for almost seven years before joining the Holloway Ag team.

Brooke’s time with Taylor Farms, where she worked in multiple divisions, readied her for Holloway where she currently is a Sales and Account Manager across our environmental, agriculture products, farm management and logistics business units.

While with Taylor Farms, Brooke worked on the sales team for the Mexico division, where the team grew iceberg, romaine, carrots, red and green cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower — which were processed and sold as florets, baby carrots, or bagged salads to large retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club, or to large distributors like Pro*Act and Sysco.

“The first several years at Taylor was an awesome experience because I got very well versed in all the segments of the business from harvest and production to shipping and logistics management,” Brooke says. “At one point I was the only sales rep for our Mexico division, and I got really familiar with all the customers that Taylor had and every segment of the business.”

As she grew at Taylor, her problem-solving skills were put to the test when she became involved in logistics and border crossing, having to learn several rules and regulations around pest inspection, the passing from a Mexican carrier to an American carrier, as well as deal with challenges like riots, bridge closures, weather conditions, or accidents on the road.

Because of her problem solving and logistical prowess, Brooke was recruited to be part of Taylor Farm’s new Direct Roots division in 2020, helping the company increase logistics and delivery efficiencies.

Her knack for improving the logistics side of the business, and pairing partners with an existing fleet and hauling services made here a great fit for Holloway’s Environmental, Ag and Logistics units and allowed her to come home to work on the Central Coast again.

“After working at a very large ag company, I am so happy to be a part of Holloway because it already feels more like a family,” Brooke says. “The people really seem to care about each other. And I am ready to learn new things and love learning about the amendments and the environmental side of the business.”

Brooke straddles a unique line where she is very knowledgeable in agriculture within the produce industry, but also has a mind for getting things where they need to be, when they need to be there. That’s why at Holloway she works in the Coastal Region with the Ag sales team, as well as with Dan Allen on the Environmental team and with the Logistics team to help provide solutions for customers up and down the state.

“It allows me to use all my skill sets,” Brooke says. “Part of the week I’ll be meeting with growers to help determine their soil amendment and redevelopment needs. And then I’ll also be working on government contract bids for our environmental business unit, and helping our logistics unit fill lanes. So it’s a role that always keeps me busy!”

Along with working with cities and municipalities throughout the state, Brooke is excited to be working with the growers in her own backyard on the Central Coast. With an office in Bakersfield and Paso Robles, Holloway now has a dedicated sales team member available to support wine grape, vegetable and berry growers on the Coast, giving Holloway a more complete footprint throughout Central California.

“I am so excited about my role with Holloway,” Brooke says. “I love working with all of the teams we have here, and it’s fun to be back home working amidst all of the vineyards and field here in Paso Robles.  I am very familiar with the produce industry, and love the wineries around the area. I ultimately want to provide value to both our agriculture and environmental sectors, and I am ready to dive in!”