Partners for 17 years, Calavo Growers and Agrícola Belher say they are celebrating their alliance by co-branding their high-quality tomatoes.
Tomatoes for the program, which includes vine-ripened rounds, romas and mature greens, are produced year-round in two regions in Mexico: Culiacan, Mexico, during the winter and spring and in the Mexican state of Jalisco year-round, according to a news release.
The collaboration goes back to 2007, when Calavo, a leader in the procurement and marketing of fresh and processed avocados, and Agrícola Belher, a producer of fresh tomatoes and other vegetables, first joined forces to add tomatoes to the Calavo product lineup on a seasonal basis from the Sinaloa region of Mexico, the release said. In joint partnership, a campus of greenhouses in Jalisco, known as Agrícola Don Memo, was built in 2015 for year-round production and continuous supply to customers.
Founded by Rosario Beltrán in 1988, Agrícola Belher says it is driven by sustainability, science and a technological approach to growing. The company is also recognized as one of the top 50 socially responsible companies in Mexico, according to the release.
“We are committed to quality, the latest technology and highest food safety standards. Calavo shares that commitment, allowing us to offer the finest tomatoes to our customers to North America,” Beltrán said in the release. Beltrán’s sons later joined the business, with Antonio Beltrán serving as company CEO and Juan Carlos Beltrán Ochoa handling marketing and business development.
Company leaders have studied new techniques for growing tomatoes in protected environments, the release said.
Sustainability benefits that have been realized include enhanced yields on significantly less land, less energy consumption, less water input and an integrated pest management system that allows a friendly growing environment with regard to pests, the release said.
As committed as Agrícola Belher is to the company’s crops, the grower says it is equally passionate about transforming the lives of employees and their families — offering free housing, food and educational services for more than 2,500 workers and childcare for more than 600 children. Community Development Centers incorporate a comprehensive social and intellectual development program including education from preschool through high school, nutrition and healthy meals, medical/dental clinic, sports, and addiction prevention, the release said.
Calavo says the tomato program is highly synergistic in many ways.
The tomatoes are a strong complementary product to Calavo’s avocado business — both in the produce department, where they are most often merchandised side by side, and in growing foodservice menu offerings, Mike Browne, executive vice president of sales and operations fr Calavo, said in the release.
“Nutritionally, the duo of products create what is often referred to as ‘food synergy’, a term that identifies combining specific foods together to maximize their nutritional and health benefits,” Browne said.
In addition to the co-branding update, Calavo’s tomato sales team has been restructured. Kurt Kistler, vice president of tomato sales, joined the company in November 2023 with over 25 years fresh produce industry experience. Kistler manages Calavo’s team of tomato sales professionals including Irene Amezaga, Jonathan Barbarine and Alexa Stone.
