Eric Fisher will be remembered not only for what he accomplished, but for the kindness, integrity, and genuine care he shared with everyone around him.
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our colleague and friend, Eric Fisher, who passed away unexpectedly on July 2, 2026.
To know Eric was to know someone who genuinely cared about people. He had an infectious smile, a kind heart, and an unwavering optimism that made everyone around him feel welcome. He listened more than he spoke, encouraged others to think bigger, and approached every conversation with patience, humility, and respect. Whether meeting someone for the first time or working alongside a longtime friend, Eric had a remarkable ability to make people feel valued.
Above all, Eric was devoted to his family. He and his wife, Heather, shared 34 years of marriage and together raised four children. Eric often spoke about his family with great pride, and they remained at the center of his life. He loved spending time with Heather, their children, and their two grandchildren, and in recent years they enjoyed traveling together, including visits to Argentina, where Heather has family.
Eric brought that same warmth and generosity to Morning Star. Joining the company in 2018 as our Culinary Food Scientist, he quickly became much more than a technical expert. He was a trusted teammate, an encouraging mentor, and someone colleagues could always count on for guidance, support, or simply a thoughtful conversation. He loved sharing his knowledge, celebrating the success of others, and inspiring people to look beyond what existed today toward what could be possible tomorrow. His enthusiasm for innovation was contagious, but it was his character that left the greatest impression.
Eric’s passion for food science and product development allowed him to help shape Morning Star’s specialty ingredient program. He was instrumental in imagining and developing many of the innovative specialty products we offer today. He worked side by side with colleagues and customers to solve challenges, develop new ideas, and build lasting relationships founded on trust, integrity, and genuine care. Many of our customers came to know Eric not only for his exceptional technical expertise, but for his patience, humility, and willingness to help.
Those who had the privilege of knowing Eric will remember much more than the work he accomplished. They will remember his smile, his laughter, his curiosity, his encouragement, and the kindness he extended so freely to everyone around him. He had a rare gift for making people feel important, and his positive influence reached far beyond the products he helped create.
Eric leaves behind a legacy built not only on innovation, but on compassion, integrity, and the relationships he nurtured throughout his life. He will be deeply missed by all of us at Morning Star and by the many customers and friends who were fortunate to know him.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Heather, their four children, two grandchildren, and the entire Fisher family. We are grateful for the years we shared with Eric and for the lasting impact he made on our company, our customers, and everyone whose life he touched.
A story from Tod Harter, colleague ~
Years ago, Eric worked at Border Foods in Arizona. They processed hot peppers, and Eric used to take them home for his family to eat. Some of these peppers were really hot. Over time, Eric and his sons ate enough of these hot peppers that they developed a tolerance to them. They built up such a tolerance that one of his sons won a pepper-eating contest, amazing the local community that a non-Hispanic could win.
A story from Sririam Vidyarthi, colleague ~
Among the many trips we took together, once we were traveling to visit a plant in the Fresno area in my Prius, and Eric, being a tall person, had a hard time sitting in the car comfortably. We spoke about what car he was planning to buy next. Based on my description of the gas mileage, he started liking the Prius, as he commuted a long distance every day. We used to speak on different topics, but mostly about food science. The whole journey reminds me of how easy he was to work with. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to answer questions, share ideas, or help solve a problem. He was a true team player who wanted everyone to succeed.
One memory that has always stayed with me was from about eight years ago, not long after Eric joined Morning Star. We were beginning to work with pepper products, and he invited anyone interested to join him on a trip to the Salinas Valley to visit the fields, meet the farmers, and see the crop firsthand. I decided to go with him.
It was memorable seeing Eric outside of the office and factory environment. He was completely engaged, talking with the farmers, looking closely at the crop, and even picking peppers himself. At one point, he picked a jalapeño directly from the plant and bit right into it. It caught me completely off guard, but it also perfectly reflected his curiosity and adventurous spirit.
Later, over lunch, he told me that if he had not joined Morning Star, he probably would have moved to South America and opened an ice cream shop. I remember being surprised by that, but it also said a lot about who Eric was. He was adventurous, entrepreneurial, curious, and full of ideas.
~ JJ Patino, Colleague
Eric was relentless and never gave up. When he first started, he wasn’t very popular in Canning because the products he developed made the Canning colleagues have to run production before and after the tomato season. Instead of having three months of production, we ended up having six or even nine months of production. He never gave up. He shared his passion, developed great products, and we all worked with him.
~ Laura De La Garza, Colleague
A story from Angela Krueger, colleague ~
When the World Processing Tomato Congress visited our Liberty factory this year, Eric wanted the tour to end by showing the industry what Morning Star was capable of. But what stood out even more was why he wanted to do it. He wasn't interested in impressing people for the sake of recognition—he wanted to inspire them. He wanted everyone to leave believing they shouldn't be limited by what exists today but instead imagine what could be possible tomorrow. That was Eric. He constantly challenged people to think beyond the obvious and see opportunities where others saw limits.
Eric was a cherished colleague whom I was fortunate to work with often. He was instrumental in developing new items as well as unique items to help advance my sales mission. I was privileged to travel with him last summer and work alongside him in Korea as well as spend some time with his wife Heather. Eric made everyone around him including myself more successful and definitely more knowledgeable. He will be missed. He was a legend.
~ Brad Ross, Colleague
Eric was someone everyone could count on, and he never hesitated to help a coworker, no matter how busy he was.
For many years, I rarely took more than a couple of days of vacation at a time because I didn't have anyone who could easily cover my responsibilities. When I shared that with Eric, even though it was during the busy holiday season, he immediately volunteered to help. Thanks to his willingness to step in, I was able to take a full week of vacation for the first time in many years and truly enjoy that time with my family. Eric reminded me that taking time away to be with loved ones was important, and that encouragement meant more than he probably realized.
I will always be grateful for the knowledge he shared so generously. No matter how many times I asked the same question, he was always patient, willing to explain it again, and never made me feel like I was inconveniencing him. His kindness, mentorship, and friendship left a lasting impact on me, and I will always remember him with gratitude and respect. He is truly going to be missed!
~ Angelica Barba, Colleague
My relationship with Eric spans more than twenty years, beginning when we worked together at Border Foods. Throughout that time, we partnered on countless projects, and I came to admire not only his talent but the rare depth of his character.
Eric was a brilliant food scientist—someone who could take a concept from benchtop experimentation all the way through full commercialization. What most organizations would need an entire cross‑functional team to accomplish, Eric could do on his own. His technical expertise was extraordinary, but his greatest strength was his ability to build meaningful relationships across the enterprise and with our customers.
His interactions with suppliers and customers elevated Morningstar’s reputation as the predominant leader in the tomato industry. People trusted Eric. They respected him. And they genuinely enjoyed working with him.
Eric will be remembered for his humility, honesty, integrity, passion, and empathy.
I am deeply saddened by his passing, and I will never forget the time we spent together. His impact—both professionally and personally—will stay with me always.
~ Kim Higgs, Colleague
I was lucky enough to travel with Eric when I had only been at Morning Star for a few months. What could have been just a business trip became an unforgettable cultural and culinary experience.
Eric loved trying new food, learning the stories behind each dish, and discovering new cultures. More than anything, he loved people. He was genuinely interested in everyone's life story and had a way of making every situation feel relaxed.
Thank you, Eric, for your patience and your generosity in always sharing your knowledge with a smile on your face.
~ Maite Camiruaga, Colleague
Be More Like Eric
If you ever met Eric you would have noticed his welcoming smile at first glance followed by his warm, welcoming and supportive presence. I had the pleasure of traveling domestically and internationally with Eric on more than several occasions and thoroughly enjoyed each moment. His friendly humor, excellent technique and technical support with customers and enthusiasm also made Eric a favorite with customers. Eric was always up for a new adventure……ice fishing in Minnesota, trying BBQ eel in Korea, singing a made up new song " Don't Pull the Dogs Tail". We would all do well to be more like Eric! He will be missed.
~ Paul Maxon, Colleague
Eric was a joy to work with. I so appreciated his desire to develop new products, help customers and solve problems. Eric was always happy, enthusiastic and a constant optimist. I will miss working with him as will our customers.
~ Kelly Haywood, Colleague
The best part about walking into the office at Liberty was seeing Eric smiling down at the end of the hallway. You could always count on a smile and a great, intelligent conversation from him, where you walked away knowing you learned something! I had the honor and privilege to get to travel with Eric this last winter in one of the worst snow storms of the season to visit a customer. Instead of him complaining about how cold it was, he showed up with his presentation and displayed his products of new items that he had been working on and stole the show with his magic and excitement with every product. It was the hit of the meeting and left us all wanting to know more about what he was working on. His passion and knowledge came through on every product. It was so fun to get to know more about Eric traveling with him. We bonded over having kids in college out of state. He talked so highly about his family. When he talked about his family, it was that same smile I would see when I walk into the office.
~ Ginger Hergenroeder, Colleague
Eric was one of the brightest and most innovative people I had the privilege of working with. He approached every challenge with curiosity, creativity, and a genuine passion for R&D. What stood out even more was his kindness and patience. He was always willing to help, no matter the size of the customer or the complexity of the problem. Eric made a lasting impact on those around him, and he will be deeply missed.
~ Kristin Garrido, Colleague
A story from Kristin Garrido, colleague ~
Eric Fisher and I started at Morning Star around the same time. I'll never forget the first time I saw him at Liberty. I was walking down the hallway toward the canning lab when I heard a loud thud followed by a startled grunt. As I passed the lab and glanced through the window, I saw Eric standing there completely covered in white, flour-like powder after accidentally dropping and spilling an entire tub across the floor.
Once everything was cleaned up, the mishap quickly became one of those stories we could laugh about. It was an unforgettable first impression and a memory that still makes me smile.
###
Morning Star Newsletter now distributed electronically
As a reminder, Morning Star is now distributing our newsletters electronically using an email distribution vendor called Mailchimp. Your e-version will now include informative Morning Star videos and highlights. Depending on your company’s firewall, these emails may initially be directed to you spam folder.