The human behind the brand
A great brand always starts with a real story. More than 30 years ago, in the desert state of Sonora, México, Don Enrique Camou, Carlos Bon Sr. and Alán Aguirre founded and established Grupo Alta as what is now known today as the leading table grape producer in the world. Besides consistency in quality, which is the hardest part to do in produce, they were pioneers on social responsibility with the Alta Foundation, a program focusing human development and improving the lives of the workers. Not to mention, sustainable soil-management with full organics and compost production, all of which they started in the ‘90s. Carlos Bon’s sons joined the company soon after in the 2000’s, the eldest, Carlos Jr. became a renowned sales guru and specialty grape promoter in the industry. The second, Daniel, matured into a plant-whisperer, the main caretaker for quality production. The third and youngest, David, turned into the finance expert that paved the way for projects like Divine Flavor’s distributor center in Nogales, Arizona, and the ownership of Viva Orgánica, a specialty grower of organics for the company. Present-day, this produce philosophy has been shared with other growers that believe in growth and long-term commitment—the main reason for creating the brand, Divine Flavor. Famed Produce Veteran, Pedro Batiz Sr, another initiator of Divine Flavor, invited the last of the founder’s next generation, Alan Aguirre Jr., with the goal of building the brand and its marketing department for the long run. Alan Jr. was born & bred in the Sonoran grape farms, and always had the business as a priority in mind. He was confident in shifting his marketing priorities, to become the Chief Marketing Officer for Divine Flavor today.
How did your journey with Divine Flavor begin?
Growing up surrounded by the world of produce, I was immersed in the industry from a young age, learning invaluable lessons from my family and particularly my father at Grupo Alta. My journey in this domain has been lifelong, providing me with a deep-rooted understanding of the business. Don’t get me wrong, growing grapes has always been my passion, but we knew that we needed to grow our family business into new ventures besides consolidating grapes. I ventured into the professional world gaining experience at marketing for several years, but the plan changed, since I rejected an ambitious offer from Havas Media in 2013, a worldwide recognized advertising agency. The reason was natural, the family business was first. My ultimate goal remains unwavering: to build a lasting brand and department that transcends my family’s values with generations, upholding the commitment to delivering the freshest and most flavorful produce to our valued customers.
What has been the most significant factor in marketing produce lately? How has it evolved?
Companies need to be more transparent, and to show more information about supply chain management. This has been our core differentiator since the Grupo Alta days. As a dedicated produce supplier, we recognize the importance of making the retailer's job easier by providing them with consistent quality produce items that meet the expectations of their customers. We take pride in shedding light on the origins of our produce - from the hardworking jornaleros (farmers) to our food safety and environmental initiatives. At Divine Flavor, we strive to give our customers a holistic understanding of where their produce comes from and the hands that nurture it, embodying our vision of connection and quality in every fruit and vegetable we deliver.
To be a successful marketer for the produce industry, what are the core foundations you need?
First, growing up at a farm, the second is having real experience in any marketing company. The third and most important, is making sure that we are involved on all aspects of the company to really brand the message for all our products, and to make sure what we are saying, is authentic with the company. Our retailer expects accountability, besides having that authenticity, this was an accidental strategy because, from the start, we were always engaged and committed to listening to our customer’s needs. As industry and marketing tactics evolve, success hinges on our ability to adapt, continuously educate ourselves, and attentively heed the feedback from the industry and especially its consumers. Embracing this adaptive mindset equips us to navigate the ever-changing terrain of the produce market effectively.
How do you think marketing will evolve in the coming year? What are your plans for Divine Flavor?
In a world where marketing has shifted towards digital realms, we find ourselves amidst a data-driven industry. Retailers are already depending on data to help guide their purchasing tactics for chain stores across their network. It’s nothing new, but an area we are all depending more on. As a forward-thinking produce supplier, we need to leverage marketing data to enhance our strategic planning to foster a sustainable approach to our production programs. Our focus remains on the human factor forever in produce. That’s the essence, but we need to have these digital tools to analyze the product from its origin all the way to the consumer, after the product has left the shelf. This type of marketing is the future of our industry and will be the promise behind our brand, always validating our motto “Growing Better Food for a Better World.”