For Naturipe Farms, ensuring year-round access to fresh berries and avocados means looking beyond North American borders. At the heart of that global reach on the berry front is Chile, a vital growing hub where innovation in breeding and established agricultural expertise meet the demands of U.S. consumers.
In a recent conversation with The Packer, Naturipe Farms President Jim Roberts highlights how strategic partnerships and international growing regions allow the brand to push the envelope on fruit quality while maintaining steady retail supply.
Innovation on the Vine
A key engine driving Naturipe’s forward-looking approach is its association with Hortifrut in Chile, a collaboration that serves as a testing ground for leading-edge variety development.
“Innovation is a big part of what makes our association with Hortifrut so valuable,” Roberts says. “We’re continually looking at new varieties, growing practices and ways to improve fruit quality, flavor, consistency and the overall consumer experience. What’s especially exciting is the work happening across breeding and variety development, where we’re focused on growing the best berries.”
Bringing these new varieties into North American grocery stores requires careful timing and evaluation. Not every breakthrough in the field immediately makes the leap to U.S. produce aisles, as each opportunity must be evaluated for commercial potential, local growing conditions, availability and consumer demand.
But having a direct link to South American research offers a clear edge.
“Having a strong connection to the innovation happening in Chile gives Naturipe an important window into what’s coming next and helps us continue to build a differentiated berry portfolio for U.S. retailers and consumers,” Roberts says.
Securing Year-Round Supply
Beyond variety testing, Chile plays a crucial operational role in solving the seasonal puzzle of North American produce. During the North American offseason, Chile’s favorable growing climate and agricultural infrastructure ensure consumers do not experience gaps on grocery shelves.
“Chile is an important part of Naturipe’s ability to supply berries to retailers and consumers year-round,” Roberts says. “Its favorable growing conditions and established growing expertise make it a valuable source of high-quality fruit during the offseason in North America.”
As consumer appetite for fresh berries remains steady across all 12 months, maintaining a geographically diverse growing network has shifted from a convenience to a necessity.
“Chile helps us maintain continuity of supply, support retail programs and give consumers access to the fruit they enjoy, regardless of the season,” says Roberts.
Looking to the future, he sees Chile remaining a pillar of Naturipe’s global strategy: “Combined with our other growing regions, it gives us the flexibility and reach to serve customers consistently while continuing to respond to changing market needs.”
Multi-Region Strategy for Avocados
Beyond berries, Chile serves as an integral pillar in Naturipe’s global avocado distribution model, working alongside a broader network of key producing regions.
“Chile is one of several important sourcing regions in Naturipe’s avocado portfolio,” Roberts says. “We also source avocados from California, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, which gives us a diverse supply network and the flexibility to serve customers throughout the year.”
This multi-country footprint allows Naturipe to leverage distinct regional advantages while maintaining year-round supply stability.
“Each growing region brings something different to the portfolio,” he says. “Chile’s growing conditions and established avocado industry make it an important source of fruit, particularly as we work to maintain consistent availability across seasons. We’re also seeing great growth and opportunity coming from Colombia, which has become an increasingly important part of our sourcing mix.”
Ultimately, balancing global sourcing regions provides the supply chain resilience needed to buffer against local market shifts.
“Rather than relying on any one country, our approach is to build a balanced, diversified supply network,” Roberts emphasizes. “That allows us to respond to market conditions, customer needs and seasonal opportunities while maintaining a dependable supply of quality avocados.”
