MIXTEC Group

What MIXTEC Group does

MIXTEC Group is a privately held retained executive search firm founded in 1984 and headquartered in La Crescenta, California (Los Angeles area). The firm specializes exclusively in senior-level executive recruitment (Director to CEO) for the agribusiness and fresh produce industry, serving clients that include growers, shippers, processors, distributors, and industry associations. The company self-identifies as the #1 Executive Search Firm in Produce and has completed assignments for marquee clients including Driscoll's, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Taylor Fresh Foods, Naturipe Farms, Fowler Packing, Markon Cooperative, Pro*Act, Potatoes USA, and Wonderful Citrus, among others.

The firm's product is a structured 3-phase retained search engagement (Planning, Implementation, Closure) delivered by three senior partners — Jerry Butt (President & CEO), Kristen Reid (Executive Vice President), and Emily Fragoso (Vice President) — each of whom combines 22-30+ years of prior agribusiness operating experience with formal executive search certifications (AESC, NAPS). The methodology is process-based and human-expertise-driven rather than technology or AI-driven, relying on the partners' proprietary industry network and community involvement (board and task force positions at United Fresh Produce Association, Produce Marketing Association, and Fresh Produce & Floral Council) to source passive candidates unavailable through traditional job postings.

MIXTEC generates revenue through professional services fees on retained search engagements, with pricing custom to each engagement and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales augmented by community-led development — conference attendance, association leadership, and a heavily repeat-client book (majority of business from returning clients per second, third, or tenth engagement). The firm is a member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) and participates in the BlueSteps candidate network. The company is independently owned with no documented parent company, institutional investors, or M&A activity.

Name

MIXTEC Group

Legal name

MIXTEC Group

Website

https://mixtec.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MIXTEC Group is a privately held retained executive search firm founded in 1984, specializing exclusively in senior-level executive placements (Director to CEO) for agribusiness and fresh produce companies. Three senior partners with 22-30+ years of industry experience deliver engagements primarily to U.S. enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Crescenta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: MIXTEC Group provides retained executive search services to agribusiness companies seeking to fill senior-level positions (Director to CEO level). The firm charges retainer fees for search engagements, typically involving a structured search process with customized candidate identification, screening, and presentation of 3-4 qualified candidates.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MIXTEC Group is a retained executive search firm that identifies, vets, and places senior-level executives (Director to CEO level) for agribusiness and fresh produce companies. The firm runs a customized three-phase search process from situation analysis and position specification through field search and candidate presentation to negotiations and assimilation, with each engagement managed by a senior partner. Supporting offerings include leadership consulting and career resources for candidates.

Product overview

MIXTEC Group is a specialized retained executive search firm operating since 1984, focused exclusively on the agribusiness and fresh produce industry. The company operates as a single unified service offering—executive search and leadership consulting—rather than a modular software platform. The core service encompasses identifying, screening, and placing senior-level executives (Director to CEO level) for clients ranging from family farms to publicly traded companies. Supporting this core offering, the firm provides candidate services including resume submission and career resources. The 3-Phase Process (Planning, Implementation, Closure) structures their search methodology, with each engagement managed by a senior partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Project completion success rate far exceeds the national average for retained executive search firms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Association for Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIXTEC Group is a member of AESC, the global association for executive search and leadership consultants. Through this membership, they offer candidates access to the BlueSteps career resource site, which makes candidate information available to all AESC members. AESC charges a fee to candidates for this service.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds Associates is a global executive search firm with a dedicated agribusiness practice placing CEOs and board directors at food, produce, and agriculture companies — competing for premium retained mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a consumer and agribusiness practice that engages on senior food and produce mandates.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry (NYSE: KFY) is the largest global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice that covers agribusiness and consumer goods at the C-suite level, often competing for the same retained mandates.
• Stanton Chase: Stanton Chase is a global retained executive search firm with a consumer products and agribusiness practice that places senior leaders at food, beverage, and agriculture companies — overlapping MIXTEC's client base at the director to C-suite level.
• DHR International: DHR International is a global retained executive search firm with a dedicated agribusiness and food practice that overlaps MIXTEC's vertical and competes for senior-level produce and agribusiness placements.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global, publicly-traded executive search firm (NASDAQ: HSII) with a large agribusiness and consumer practice; competes for senior agribusiness searches via broader resources and global reach.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global private executive search firm with a dedicated agribusiness practice, frequently engaging on board and CEO-level mandates inside the same produce and food companies MIXTEC serves.

Direct peers

• Waverly Partners: Waverly Partners is an AESC-affiliated executive search firm focused on food, agribusiness, and CPG, placing directors through C-suite at growers, processors, and food manufacturers — directly overlapping MIXTEC's produce/agribusiness mandate.
• Battalia Winburn: Battalia Winburn is a retained executive search firm with a dedicated food and consumer practice placing senior leaders at CPG, food, and agribusiness companies — competing for the same agribusiness executive mandates as MIXTEC.
• Kincannon & Reed: Kincannon & Reed is a retained executive search firm specializing exclusively in food and agribusiness, serving senior leadership mandates across the same produce, protein, and ag-input verticals as MIXTEC. Closest direct competitor on niche focus and client overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mixtec-group-associates-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MIXTEC Group