NOGALES, AZ - Divine Flavor categorizes Viva Fresh as an event where new opportunities arise, and for a company watching its strategic investments take root and flourish, it’s an exciting time to attend. I spoke with Clarisa Batiz, Organic Veg Category Manager, to learn more about Divine Flavor’s showcase for the upcoming expo.

“What we’re focusing on this year is ensuring we have a consistent supply year-round for our veg programs, which gives confidence to the customer. This has been an area of opportunity for Divine Flavor in the past, and we’ve taken big steps to close production gaps,” Clarisa begins.

Some of these categories include conventional Roma tomatoes, organic and conventional Persian cucumbers, conventional bell peppers, and organic and conventional mini peppers.

“We are also trialing organic cocktail cucumbers,” Clarisa adds. “There are not a lot of organic cocktail cucumbers on the market right now, which means they’re very limited in supply. We’ve also done tests on conventional seedless mini peppers, and we’re trialing those out to go to market with them soon.”

Part of what makes year-round supply possible on these in-demand categories is a recent investment in new facilities.

“Our parent company, Grupo Alta, is building 75 hectares of greenhouse facilities in Central Mexico—about 25 hectares each year over the next three years. Central Mexico is a strategic foothold that helps to bridge all the other growing regions in Mexico,” Clarisa notes. “It’s still being decided what will go in each year, but it will be heavy on the tomato side.”

Closing the gaps in strategic categories has solidified Divine Flavor as a key player in Mexico. But the company’s vertical integration is what truly sets it apart.

“We control all aspects of production, so when you’re talking to us, it’s like you’re talking to the farmer,” Clarisa imparts. “A lot of our competitors source from different growers, whereas we control most of the farms for a more hands-on approach. Agriculture is getting more complicated, and the more we can control the variables of production, the better.”

Grupo Alta has been a pioneer in Mexico for many years, and its connections throughout the country have allowed Divine Flavor to make inroads in growing regions like Central Mexico that it might not otherwise have had access to. It was also one of the first companies to become Fair Trade Certified and one of the first to be certified organic—all the way back in the ‘90s!

There are a lot of exciting things happening at Divine Flavor, and you won’t want to miss a chance to talk to the team at booth #419.

Keep reading ANUK as we continue to cover the days leading up to Viva Fresh!