Divine Flavor readies for strong Mexican season

Year-round programs, snacking commodities, organics and flavor are all trends for Mexican produce  — and all are important to the Divine Flavor brand, says Michael DuPuis.

DuPuis, quality assurance manager for the Nogales, Ariz.-based marketer, said Divine Flavor offers a wide range of produce items including both organic and conventional bell peppers; mini peppers; Long English, Persian and slicer cucumbers; roma, grape and beefsteak tomatoes, as well as tomato on the vine.

All those commodities are produced on Divine Flavor’s farms in west Mexico, he said. The marketer also sources yellow and Italian squash from the northern state of Sonora.  

“Each season we look to strengthen our year-round offerings, increase organic production, and focus on flavor and innovative products that drive repeat purchases with consumers,” DuPuis said. “As a vertically integrated and forward-thinking company, it is important to be aware of these trends to see how they can be incorporated into our business development based on what the industry is seeking.”

Divine Flavor is prepared for a strong season, DuPuis said.

“If we could use three words going into the [2023-24] winter season from Mexico, it would be normalcy, preparedness and consistency,” he said. “Our farms encountered a series of weather-related issues in 2022 which also carried over into the middle of the 2023 season, but fortunately, our farms had the ability to respond quickly to overcome this adversity.”

DuPuis said Divine Flavor has infrastructure and experience in place to deal with challenges.

“One of the competitive advantages we have as a produce brand is that we are also the grower/farmer, and this permits us to make quicker decisions when it comes to planning and communicating at the production level,” he said.

DuPuis said Divine Flavor plans to open its new warehouse center in Los Angeles beginning later this yer, bringing significant advantages for the marketer’s distribution and supply chain.

Supply outlook

While there were some late summer/early fall weather issues in 2023 that will have an impact on the start of the Mexican winter season, the severity of the situation still isn’t evident, DuPuis said.

“Looking ahead to the coming season, we anticipate supplies will be more consistent and the quality of our produce will be on par with what we expect," he said. “Each year, our commodities strengthen in volume, and we believe this growth will be able to stabilize any loss at the beginning of the year and we’ll recuperate as the season progresses."

Divine Flavor’s organic programs are very important during the winter season, DuPuis said. 

“Although we grow organic products on a year-round basis, the bulk of our production comes from western Mexico in the winter/spring season,” he said.

While organic sales were down slightly in 2022, DuPuis said organic growth has been compelling.

“The organic markets seem to be heading in a positive direction again amongst retailers and consumers, which is encouraging,” he said. “Each year, we always look to create more opportunities to grow in organic production ranging from our table grapes to each of our veg commodities.

"We not only grow organics because of the market value it has for our company but also because we firmly believe growing organically is the best way to sustain our farms and produce the best possible flavor in each of our products," he added.

Challenges

Labor, weather and rising costs are all areas that affect the produce industry, DuPuis said.

In terms of labor, he said social responsibility is an essential part of the company’s business practices.

“Good social programs result in lower employment turnover,” DuPuis said. “Being certified as socially responsible — such as Fair Trade Certified or SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) — has a tremendous impact on validating the ethical standards of our farms."

Regarding labor costs, being a vertically integrated company and having a strong grower network allows Divine Flavor to navigate cost issues more efficiently, he said.

There are many reasons for optimism during the 2023-24 season, DuPuis said.

“The Divine Flavor team looks forward to a successful 2024 year of providing its customers with the high-quality, flavorful produce the industry has come to expect of us,” he said. “Production, volume, and consistency are all areas to keep a close eye on, but we feel very confident moving into the next months as the season progresses.”