We share our latest interview with Guillermo Ley, General Manager of Frello Fresh, a recently created marketing company that has succeeded in establishing itself very well in the U.S. market through the promise of its brand “to provide healthy food, to make people live better and be happy”.

Guillermo Ley shares with us his experience working in the agricultural industry for 20 years and his most recent project of creating a marketing company with a sales and marketing strategy that makes it unique.

1. Could you tell us a little bit about your professional experience?

I started my career in the ” Produce” industry in 2003. I started working at Del Campo Supreme, a vertically integration distribution business incorporated with the agricultural company Del Campo y Asociados; I started in the product marketing team, passing through the operations department to the company’s general management, and lasting more than eleven years in the company.

Later, I relocated to McAllen to work with Kingdom Fresh in general management; I supported the restructuring of a company where we grew the portfolio of direct customers and strengthened relationships with existing customers; also, we designed and implemented a successful rebranding and marketing strategy. From there I returned to the Nogales, Arizona area to work with Wilson Produce with their general manager; I helped in consolidating relationships with existing growers, as well as recruited additional growers to join the project to distribute Mini Sweet Peppers and other vegetables; the project with them, from the beginning, was for 2 years to later find my way.

2. How did you have the idea of founding Frello Fresh and what makes it so unique?

I had been thinking about doing a business of my own for a long time and having a conversation with the Stabroupulos brothers we saw that we had very similar ideas about what a fresh produce marketing business should be. This is how Frello Fresh was born: on the one hand a strong group of growers of excellent quality vegetables with an exceptional work ethic and the experience I have acquired over the years working in companies with extensive experience in the distribution business. Our business is a young business, with young and forward-thinking people, but at the same time with experience in the business.

3. How do you manage to establish your supply of fresh vegetables in the United States and what are your main products?

We focus on identifying our customers’ needs and looking for the best possible solutions to satisfy them to establish long-term relationships. In the same way, we look for the same synergy with the growers we work with. Our products are Roma tomato, Red Beefsteak tomato, Tomatoes on The Vine (TOV) and Grape tomato, Slicing and English cucumbers, colored bell peppers, mini sweet peppers, etc.

4. How important do you consider Sinaloa’s agricultural industry for the supply of fresh produce in the United States?

Sinaloa is the #1 supplier of fresh produce during the winter/spring season. Market penetration and consumer recognition of high quality and superior taste make Sinaloa Fresh produce the superstar on the shelf. Likewise, Sinaloa growers have been looking to satisfy the year-round needs of the supply market and have sought out other regions in Mexico to extend their season.

5. What is the promise of the Frello Fresh brand to consumers?

The F in Frello stands for many things: Fun, Focused, Fair, Flavor, and Family. We promise to cover those values all the time.

6. What are the growth projects for the company in the mid-term?

We are in a growth and diversification process to become a “one-stop-shop” for our customers so that they can stock several products with Frello’s guarantee.

7. What are the opportunity areas and challenges that you consider the industry must consolidate in international markets?

Climate change can have adverse impacts on the production of fresh produce, as well as on the availability of resources such as water, workforce, agricultural inputs, etc. The challenge is to look for production methods that are more sustainable and resilient at the same time to the external adversities of the business itself.