MIAMI, FL - March will be here before we know it, and that means so too will Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure. For Continental Fresh, the week of the show, which begins March 2, will also mark the start of its coveted Water For All Mexican Mango program.
“Southern Exposure is what we consider our hometown show,” explains Albert Perez, Chief Executive Officer and Grower Relations. “It’s a short drive for us, and we can bring our entire staff to meet all customers, vendors, and fellow importers. It takes place at a perfect time of year, as we are in the middle of our cucumber and Butternut squash programs and kicking off our strongest program of the season: Mexican mango.”
In addition to its Water For All Mexican mangos, which supports crucial water projects in Latin America, Continental Fresh will also have a special guest at its booth to prepare mouth-watering samples.
“We will have our corporate chef Alex Callegari (aka The Firefighter Foodie) cooking up some slow-cooked pulled pork with mango habanero salsa,” says Albert. “Since it is the Southeast Produce Council show, we will honor the mascots by also serving Gator Sausage with Mango Salsa provided by our alligator hunter and Sales Representative, Bruce Letchworth.”
When attendees stop by the Continental Fresh booth, they will be able to talk to team members about the supplier’s ongoing plans for expansion and diversification. To help achieve these goals, the company recently brought Louis Curiel on board to assist in business and grower development.
Curiel has been involved in agriculture since childhood, having started by driving harvest trucks and picking melons in Los Banos, California, at age 11. He went from a youngster working in lettuce coolers in the Imperial Valley to managing over 10,000 acres of melon production and harvest for Fresh Del Monte Produce in Arizona and California.
During his career, Curiel has developed leadership and management skills necessary in Agri Operations. Thanks to years of traveling in Mexico and Central America, he is skilled at International Agricultural Business Development, with an emphasis on the sourcing and procurement of ag products in the United States and Latin America.
“Louis is an industry veteran with tremendous experience in sourcing, procurement, and growing. His 30-plus years of knowledge are a huge asset in our quest to expand offerings from Mexico and other growing areas,” adds Albert. “With Louis’ help, we are working on a watermelon program that will begin out of Hermosillo, Mexico, in the first days of March. It would be very fitting to add watermelons to our Water For All campaign.”
Want to hear more about Continental Fresh’s exciting expansion? Head to booth #509 to talk to their friendly team.
