Harvest Master may be a young company, but its foundation is built on decades of combined experience, deep family ties to farming, and a clear vision for how today’s produce business needs to operate.

Formed in July 2024, Harvest Master is a business partnership between Daniel Zaragoza and Esteban Alvarez, who saw an opportunity to create something different in an increasingly complex produce landscape.

Zaragoza, 30, brings hands-on farming and shipping experience to the table. He previously worked for Chucho Produce in Nogales, AZ, for nearly seven years after studying at New Mexico State University. His roots, however, run deeper in the fields of Guaymas, Sonora, where he and his father, Jorge Zaragoza, operate ZP Farms.

“All of our farming operations are run down in Guaymas, Sonora, and everything is exported under the Papitos label,” Zaragoza said. “That name comes from my brother’s nickname. He passed away in November of 2022, and that was a big reason I moved back to Guaymas to help my father and keep everything going.”

Alvarez, 33, is the other half of the partnership. Born and raised in Nogales, he says produce is more than a career — it’s a way of life.

“All we breathe down here is produce,” Alvarez said. “I’ve been doing this since I was 17.”

Before forming Harvest Master, Alvarez spent 11 years with Frank Donio Inc., working out of the company’s San Diego office. During that time, Donio worked closely with ZP Farms, a relationship that ultimately helped set the stage for Harvest Master.

“We mutually parted ways, and that’s when Daniel and I decided to create Harvest Master,” Alvarez said.

Today, Harvest Master handles 17 different commodities sourced from its own growers and partners, marketed under three distinct labels.

The Papitos label represents ZP Farms’ core production and includes hard squash such as acorn, butternut, kabocha and spaghetti, along with watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes.

Under the Harvest Master label, the company offers yellow, white and bi-color corn, Roma tomatoes, slicer cucumbers and European cucumbers.

The Mr. Duke label rounds out the program with lettuce — including iceberg, romaine and green and red leaf — as well as carrots, celery and Brussels sprouts.

What truly sets Harvest Master apart, however, is not just its product mix, but its business model.

“With Donio, I learned the art of being a broker, but also a distributor and shipper,” Alvarez said. “Daniel brings the farming side and the shipper experience from Chucho. From the start, we knew we wanted to be a hybrid company.”

Unlike many traditional shippers in Nogales, San Diego or McAllen that focus solely on their own production, Harvest Master combines shipping programs with brokerage services to meet broader customer needs.

“A customer doesn’t want just one commodity — they want a full pick,” Alvarez said. “We handle the consolidation, do the QC, sell them our own products, and also source outside items. It makes their lives easier.”

The company applies that same approach across retail, foodservice, wholesale and broker customers, often loading mixed trucks that include both Harvest Master products and complementary items.

“It’s worked really well for us,” Alvarez said. “Instead of creating competition with other shippers, we’re building long-term partnerships.”

Transparency and reputation are central to the company’s philosophy.

“Your reputation is the most credible thing you have in this industry,” said Alvarez. “We sell customer service and information — being honest and transparent with growers, vendors and customers is everything.”

Harvest Master operates year-round, shipping through Nogales in the fall, winter and spring, and transitioning to San Diego and McAllen during the summer months.

Like much of the industry, the company has faced its share of challenges, including tariffs, tomato duties, oversupply and more conservative buying patterns following the pandemic.

“The way we overcome challenges is communication,” Alvarez said. “We try to stay ahead of the game, be proactive, and when we do something wrong, we own it and learn from it.”

One concern that never materialized was the partners’ age.

“I thought people might react negatively because we’re young,” Alvarez said. “But it’s been the opposite. We’ve received a lot of support, especially in Nogales.”

Harvest Master currently employs six people in its Nogales office and is expanding to eight with the addition of an office manager and a salesman in mid-February.

“Our goal for the next five years is to consolidate our company while creating a name and brand for ourselves,” Alvarez said. “What we have works. We want to develop our growers, keep improving quality and pack styles, bring on more retail and foodservice programs, and create a real impact on everyone involved with Harvest Master.”

A major focus will be further developing wet vegetable programs in Nogales, an area Alvarez believes still offers untapped potential.

“Everyone talks about Yuma, but Nogales has more winter diversity,” he said. “That’s where we see opportunity, and that’s where we’re investing our energy.”

For Harvest Master, success isn’t just about volume — it’s about balance, relationships and building something sustainable from the ground up.