Florent Philippot, 38
Chief Executive Officer , ZGROUP USA LLC , Miami Beach, FL
June 10, 2025 | 3 min to read
SHORT BIO
Hometown: Paris, France
Hobbies: Cooking, Traveling, Generative AI and software engineering, Outdoor adventures with family
Family/Community: Married, 1 son
Motto in Life: Small improvements each day lead to big results.
As the chief executive of ZGROUP USA, Philippot is the leader behind the company’s expansion into the U.S. and Canadian markets. He brings over a decade of international experience building innovative cold chain and postharvest solutions for the fresh produce industry. Born and raised in Paris, Philippot holds dual master’s degrees in corporate finance and financial instrument management.
He began his career in China, where he learned Mandarin and immersed himself in startup culture, quickly expanding his role beyond finance into operations, legal and procurement. In 2013, he moved to Peru, where he joined ZGROUP to specialize in cold chain logistics for exporters. He later launched the Peruvian operations for SNETOR CHIMIE, a French polymer trading company, where he was tasked to develop a local distribution network from the ground up. He returned to ZGROUP in 2020 to lead the company’s international expansion and modernize its commercial structure.
In 2022, Philippot launched ZGROUP USA to bring modular cold storage, forced-air cooling, and ripening solutions to growers, wholesalers, and retailers across North America. Under his leadership, the company has delivered high-impact projects for clients such as Driscoll’s and Wonderful Citrus, including a 16-container modular facility in Hawaii and the first mobile forced-air cooling units. Philippot speaks four languages and continues to bridge cultures, industries, and technologies to build a more agile and sustainable future for the global food supply chain.
Q: How did you begin working in the produce industry and why?
My journey into produce began in Peru, where I helped exporters overcome logistics challenges by designing a flexible modular solution. Seeing small entrepreneurs becoming major actors, thanks to our solution, made me realize I could solve real problems by bridging technology, logistics and agriculture.
Q: What do you wish you knew when you first started your career?
That agility beats perfection. In a fast-paced, perishable industry, speed matters more than over-engineering. Early on, I thought everything had to be flawless; now I know the best solutions are those that can be deployed quickly and improved over time.
Q: What advice would you give someone new to the produce industry?
Listen first. The produce industry is built on relationships, trust, and understanding what’s at stake, from growers to retailers. Dive into the field, visit the farms, and learn what drives each player in the chain.
Q: What is the one thing in your business you are most passionate about?
Transforming postharvest logistics with modular, mobile solutions. I’m passionate about giving growers and distributors tools they can deploy in days, not months, to preserve quality and reduce waste without investing all their resources.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
ZGROUP is a family business that I’m proud to be part of. I’m especially proud to have built a bridge between the founders’ vision and innovation with the North American fresh produce industry. Launching ZGROUP USA and earning the trust of top-tier clients, such as Driscoll’s and Wonderful Citrus, shows that our dream of accessible, agile postharvest solutions is becoming a global reality.
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