Relationships, growth, new horizons: Lipman Family Farms in Mexico

A new Lipman Family Farms facility in Hermosillo, Mexico, is boosting the local economy as it improves service to customers up and down the West Coast. The certified food processing/fresh-cut and packing facility, in operation now for slightly more than a year, represents a significant investment in Mexico’s role as a main player in the future of North American agriculture.

“Hermosillo will be our home base in Mexico, but the vision is we will be as vertically and horizontally ingrained in Mexico as we are in the U.S.,” said Nick Gatzionis, General Manager of the Hermosillo operation. “We will start expanding our presence, not just into the U.S. export market, but also down here in Mexico.”

Lipman has sought to cultivate a family atmosphere that promotes skilled labor. The facility has created 60 jobs so far, and Gatzionis anticipates doubling that number in the next couple of years as Lipman eyes possibilities in Mexico City, home to a metropolitan area of nearly 25 million.

“We could become a permanent base in that area to supply customers there,” Gatzionis said. “It’s been a great first year and I think the sky’s the limit for what we can accomplish.”

In Hermosillo, Lipman has been promoting food safety knowledge, building relationships within business and government, and helping redesign aspects of the local economy, which has been heavily reliant on automobile manufacturing for the past 30 years.

The Hermosillo operation serves the U.S. market as well. Just two hours from the border, the facility allows Lipman to be able to deliver product as far north as Portland, Oregon in two days or less, leading to a safer product and greater peace of mind for buyers.

“Clean tomatoes and clean fruits and vegetables is what we do,” Gatzionis said.

And, thanks to what’s going on in Hermosillo, Lipman Family Farms is able to do it better. Click here to read more about all of Lipman’s processing facilities.