Interview: Ivan Angulo Gallardo & David Villareal Gallardo – Agricola Chaparral
Interviewed by Veggies From Mexico, cousins Ivan Angulo and David Villareal share their experience collaborating at Agricola Chaparral, where they both have a strong interest in the farming sector.
Ivan and David shared a passion for market diversification and experimenting with the added value of products made in Sinaloa. For this reason, since very young, they gained experience marketing processed products (such as tomato, guava, and mango paste) from Sinaloa to China. Shortly after their uncle Sergio Esquer invited them, they started working at Agricola Chaparral.
Ivan Angulo Gallardo: Holds a degree in Financial Administration from Tec de Monterrey (Campus Santa Fe). After that, I went to China with David to introduce processed products from Sinaloa.
Later, I joined Grupo Chaparral, where I have been working for the last 14 years.
David Villareal Gallardo: I graduated with a degree in Financial Administration from Tec de Monterrey. Then, I studied a semester in Shanghai, China. It was there that I, along with my cousin Ivan, began marketing processed products (tomato paste, guava, and mango paste) from a well-known company here in Sinaloa.
Upon my return from China, I was invited by my uncle Sergio Esquer to join Agricola for the first time, as Manager of the Commercial area, where I worked for a year and a half.
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After that, I spent two years pursuing an MBA at IPADE Business School. From there, I worked in Arizona in a family business for a year. Then, I returned to Mexico City to work at a financial company for another year. And after that, I rejoined Grupo Chaparral, where I have been working for the past 10 years.
1. What part of the farming industry do you find most inspiring, and what motivated you to join Grupo Chaparral?
Ivan Angulo: Since I was a child, I have been involved in farming from both sides of my family. I remember going to the fields on weekends with my dad, where we would spin down the mountains of cotton at the warehouse. From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be involved in farming, and that is why when I was invited to be a part of Grupo Chaparral, I had no hesitation in embracing the family legacy. I have always found very inspiring to be able to offer high-quality food to families.
David Villareal: What inspires me most is the process of producing food, due to its connection to nature and the environment. I have always been interested in farming, as my mother told me about her experiences with my grandfather Chema when he took her to the fields.
But what motivated me the most was the farming work I did for the brother of a friend during my undergraduate studies. In his first season as a farmer, he grew green beans, and I experienced the entire process from planting the seeds to loading the packaged product for transportation. That was when I knew I wanted to be involved in this industry.
2. David, what are the core values and philosophy you consider to make Grupo Chaparral a solid company?
Our commitment to consistently comply with the highest quality standards for each of our products and to the well-being of all those involved in our value chain: staff, partners, and suppliers.
Being focused on the human quality of our work team and the way we do business.
3. Would you mind sharing with us what areas of the company you work in and what is your vision for improvement and growth in the medium and long term?
Ivan Angulo: Since I joined, I have been closely involved in the commercial and packaging areas. I have been responsible for developing the domestic market, exploring new export opportunities, and leading the development of new value-adding packaging. I see the future of the company focused on maintaining consistency, improving quality, and strategically diversifying our products. Also, we must continually incorporate new technologies and artificial intelligence to always keep us one step ahead.
David Villareal: I am in the production area, where I believe the short-term challenge for keeping competitiveness is to be more efficient in using resources without compromising productivity or quality. This is where work team innovation, technology, and specialized information systems play a significant role.
We also face the challenge of continuing to adopt new practices that lead us to sustainable farming, while protecting the environment and the social environment. One example is taking care of the microbiology of our soils.
4. Ivan, what are the main products sold by each Chaparral Group and what are the main target markets?
We currently produce Roma, round, and grape tomatoes, and in terms of peppers, we have green bell peppers and Lerouge peppers, which we distribute primarily in Mexico, United States, and Canada. We have also recently shipped our first tomatoes to Japan.
5. David, Grupo Chaparral is characterized by their team work. How important is it for you to create a collaborative environment in the company and what actions do you promote to achieve this?
My uncle Sergio has promoted a culture of team work since he started leading this company, which has enabled that environment. Making everyone share the goals of the company creates a shared responsibility, and this made us to always look for ways to support one another. Also, we are known for the human quality of the team.
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6. What are the main challenges you have had to face?
Ivan Angulo: One of the main challenges I have faced has been having to adapt quickly to the abrupt changes and preferences of the market. And being able to do this while taking into account external factors such as climate changes, exchange rates, labor shortages, and maintaining productivity in our crops.
David Villareal: The issue of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, labor availability, and finally, insecurity.
7. Ivan, what impact do you think food safety and social responsibility have in the industry, and how have these evolved over the years?
These are two pillars that have become an obligation in our industry. Due to the nature of the business, food safety is already one of our priorities, as it is our job to ensure the highest standards in the products we offer.
Regarding social responsibility, we have worked year after year to ensure that our staff has the best facilities and the best working environment so that they choose to return and collaborate with us again. We are proud to say that over 80% of our temporary staff returns to work with us every farming season.
8. Ivan, What is it like for the company to collaborate with a third-party verification organization such as Veggies From Mexico?
Veggies From Mexico has been a great ally in building up our processes and ensure that we maintain our quality and food safety standards under the weekly audit scheme. Also, thanks to Veggies, we have achieved greater exposure to various clients.
9. David, what are the main trends that you think will influence the sector in the coming years?
The trend towards healthier products is what is leading us as an industry to migrate towards producing foods with more organic and natural products.
10. Finally, what is your vision for the future of Agricola Chaparral, and what message would you like to share with the new generations interested in the farming sector?
Ivan Angulo: We want to consolidate Chaparral as a benchmark company in terms of sustainability, innovation, and quality.
I invite the new generations to discover the benefits of farming. It is a sector full of opportunities that requires passion and commitment.
David Villareal: For Agricola Chaparral, we strive to remain a leading company in the industry, faithful to our commitment to comply with the highest quality of our products and our staff. We also stand out for being a company committed to environmental and social environment sustainability.
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