Former Oatly CSO takes the helm at Unifrutti

Ashley Allen, an executive who helped shaped Oatly’s well-regarded sustainability strategy, has been named chief sustainability officer at Unifrutti Group, a fruit company based in Abu Dhabi.

Allen occupied the same position at Oatly from 2020 to 2024, during which time the maker of plant-based milks developed a reputation for helping farmers diversify their crops and for setting ambitious climate targets. The company is targeting a 40 percent cut in emissions per liter of product by 2030, followed by 70 percent and 89 percent cuts by 2040 and 2050. Earlier this year, it was one of the first two companies to be certified under the Climate Solutions Framework, a label for companies that develop low-carbon products.

Prior to joining Oatly, Allen spent much of her career working on climate strategy within the public sector, including stints at the U.S. State Department and the White House Environmental Council, where she helped launch President Barack Obama’s U.S. Climate Action Plan. 

Fledgling strategy

Allen inherits a sustainability agenda at Unifrutti that is relatively new. According to its most recent sustainability report, the company has measured its baseline emissions but not yet set a near-term target to complement its long-term goal of reaching net zero by 2050. The company plans on making an emissions commitment that’s aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative by the end of the year, according to the report.

Unifrutti produces and trades fresh fruit and vegetables, with Asia and Europe as its biggest markets. The privately held company does not publish detailed financial results, but a company website notes that it employs 11,000 people and has an annual turnover of $700 million.