April 19, 2022 (WASHINGTON) – Pontus Mattsson, Vice President of Supply Chain and Administration at Silva International, was elected President of the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)’s Board of Directors. Mr. Mattsson was elected for a one-year term by the Board last week at the 2022 ASTA Annual Meeting & Exhibits in Miami, FL.

“I am honored to serve as President of ASTA. I’m excited to explore opportunities to grow our impact by working closely with members and industry partners, and to promote the spice trade’s many diverse and emerging interests together,” said Mr. Mattsson.

Mr. Mattson’s election is an exciting moment shared by many ASTA members, including Kent DeVries, President of Silva International and former ASTA Board of Directors member, who said, “At Silva, we’re thrilled to see Pontus rise to the role of ASTA’s President. As long-time supporters of ASTA’s mission, we know the value of industry-wide connectivity and strong partnerships across the spice sector – Pontus will be an excellent steward of that vision.”

In the upcoming year, Mr. Mattsson and the Board of Directors aim to strengthen ASTA’s advocacy initiatives to support commonsense regulatory policies, and to pursue enhanced communications efforts to promote the spice industry. Additionally, Mr. Mattsson plans to expand and build new opportunities for members of the spice trade to reconnect and network, after a two-year break from in-person meetings and events.

“Pontus brings a lot of valued energy to the table, and I know it will be an engaging year for ASTA as we look to drive value for members through new global and regulatory advocacy efforts, and by expanding our slate of networking opportunities to foster more business relationships within the industry,” said Laura Shumow, ASTA’s Executive Director.

“This year, ASTA members can look forward to building stronger connections as we aim to strengthen and champion the spice sector together as a united association,” said Mr. Mattsson.