MCALLEN, TX - With the Viva Fresh Expo upon us, companies from across the Southwest U.S. and Mexico are gearing up for the annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. One of those companies making an impact in the region is GR Fresh, whose expansive operation spans more than six decades and four distribution centers strategically located in McAllen and San Antonio, Texas, Los Angeles, California; and Nogales, Arizona.
“GR Fresh has truly established itself as stewards of the land, and as we look to the next stage of growth, our aspirations are to branch into niche areas where demand has been accelerating, evolve our program to meet the needs of our organic and value-added customers, and expand and develop our relationships with our retail and foodservice partners,” Tony Incaviglia, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, shares with me. “Our presence in Mexico is unprecedented, and we are ready to continue to share our goals and vision here in the United States and beyond. GR Fresh is constantly looking for ways to not only adapt to the changing industry but redefine ourselves in the competitive landscape and bring more value to our customers.”
If you can’t tell, passion is not something that the Vice President of Sales and Marketing lacks. Tony brings an incredibly diverse background to his role at GR Fresh, from his roots in the Monterey Peninsula of California and attending the University of Arizona, to playing professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres organizations and working with Earthbound Farms and Bengard Ranch. Five years ago Tony joined GR Fresh and has been talking Mexican produce ever since.
The company’s portfolio reaches far and wide, ranging from a full line of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and hot peppers, to Western veg, leafy greens, squash, and pomegranates. In addition, GR Fresh is expanding its organic program on items that include bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, grape tomatoes, and more.
“We are also evolving our program to include value-added options alongside our bulk offerings,” Tony shares with me. “It is an exciting time, and our goal is to meet those changing consumer buying behaviors that can be tapped by our retail and foodservice partners.”
GR Fresh operates over 8,000 acres each year with ranches across a number of Mexican states and regions including:
- Chihuahua
- Sinaloa
- Sonora
- Coahuila
- Durango
- Guanajuato
- Jalisco
- Michoacán
The company was originally founded by Juan Gonzalez Reyes about 70 years ago, and he is still actively involved in day-to-day operations to ensure the business remains true to its values, integrity, and vision as well as its commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and excellence in safe food production. And Juan Gonzalez has made fresh produce for GR Fresh a family affair. He has two sons, Juan Fernando Gonzalez and Miguel Gonzalez, with Juan handling the growing side and Miguel handling much of the marketing and sales side. Also his daughter Cecilia Gonzalez is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. In addition, Juan Gonzalez’s grandsons, Luis Webb and Antonio Villalobos, are a part of the company, bringing the GR Freshhistory into the 3rd generation of family members.
Tony, Luis, and Antonio are essentially in charge of GR Fresh’s operations here in the U.S. and building a brand to excel in the domestic market.
As we look from the roots of GR Fresh to today, the company is continuing to grow its operations in Mexico and the U.S. and working toward that goal with a new warehouse in McAllen, Texas.
“This complex will be built in stages and will help GR Fresh continue to bring better customer service and resources to our current and new retail relationships,’ Tony says.
The warehouse will be built in phases as the business requires and is slated to open in 2019, so stay tuned for more as we follow its construction and GR Fresh’s progress and evolution.
For more on the GR Fresh family of products and the exciting growth in the year to come, visit the team and its offerings this weekend at the Viva FreshExpo, booth 133.
