About Lisa Cork – Strategist, Speaker, Educator, Columnist
I built my career challenging the way fresh produce
leaders think about packaging, branding, and strategy.
My mission is simple: to stop companies treating packaging as cost, and help them see it as their most persuasive sales tool.
My superpower is strategy. I’m best known for challenging conventional thinking, uncovering untapped growth opportunities, and turning insights into actionable strategies that drive measurable results.
My proprietary framework, the Persuasive Packaging Pathway™, guides companies from Positioning → Persuasion → Premiumization, ensuring every decision strengthens brand equity and delivers sales.
Alongside my consulting work, I’m an Adjunct Professor in Agribusiness at Cal Poly State University, where I teach Food Marketing, Marketing Strategy, and the USA’s only Fresh Produce Marketing course. Teaching the next generation of produce marketers keeps me connected to emerging consumer insights, which I bring back to my clients and speaking engagements.
Career Highlights
Over my career, I have:
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Created Eat Smart™, the first consumer-centric brand in fresh produce
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Been named PMA A-NZ Marketer of the Year and one of Produce Business Magazine’s 35 Industry Vanguards
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Advised leading global growers and marketers on packaging and brand strategies that increased differentiation, margins, and category growth
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Been awarded the Cal Poly Agribusiness Department ‘Outstanding Faculty Award’
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Written columns for industry publications for more than two decades, influencing conversations on packaging, branding, and strategic growth
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Orchestrated the famous “Broccoli to Bush” PR coup that generated $120 million in publicity, earned me a trip to the White House to meet Barbara Bush and led to my nickname, ‘The Broccoli Lady’.
Why Clients Trust Me
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Experience: 30+ years across multiple fresh produce categories, working with global and regional brands.
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Impact: From kumara to grapes to cherries, I’ve helped reposition categories, grow margins, and strengthen customer loyalty.
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Clarity: Clients trust me to cut through complexity and deliver a clear, actionable strategy.
Beyond Work
When I am not working with clients or lecturing in California, I’m a global traveler, thru-hiker, and I like to summit mountains in exotic locations. These adventures shape my worldview and fuel the fresh perspectives I bring to every project.
