rio rico, az — On Oct. 2, 2006, the Molina family of Hermosillo, Sonora, created Fresh Farms, LLC. They had tried working with several Nogales distributors to market its grapes, watermelons and squash. The Molinas had been commercial growers for 35 years and already owned a cold storage in Rio Rico as well as a truck fleet.

“They wanted to add what they felt was their final piece of their business model and have their own sales company,” said Jerry Havel, who was asked in 2006 to run the new distribution company. He is Fresh Farms’ director of sales and marketing.

“I got involved,” Havel said, “and we created Fresh Farms to distribute Molina products and their (Fresh Farms) label. We have expanded their product line and today we represent 15 other like-minded growers.”

Molina production has quadrupled in a decade. With the input of independent growers, the firm now ships 20 different items. Some of those commodities are produced organically, as well as conventionally.

Roberto Hernandez, Martha Noriega, Mayra Beltran, Alan Voll, Marco Serrano and Jerry Havel comprise the sales staff of Fresh Farms, LLC. “Fresh Farms has been successful because we aligned ourselves with growers who grow and pack exceptional product. Because of quality and a steady supply of volume, we have developed clients who appreciated our quality and consistency. Most of our items start in the fall and go all the way to spring with uninterrupted supply.”

Havel noted, “We are the largest table grape grower in Mexico.”  

Other large-volume items distributed by Fresh Farms are green bell peppers, eggplant, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, American slicer cukes, English cucumbers and hard squash.

“We have aligned ourselves with excellent growers from both Sonora and Sinaloa. This company will continue to grow because of our excellent quality. We have an ever-expanding customer base with good retailers, foodservice companies and wholesalers. And we have been the fastest-growing company in Nogales over the last ten years. I don’t see a slowdown in the next ten years.”

“We have instituted aligning ourselves with new growers with new items and we are also expanding with existing products, based on demand from our client base.”

Martha Noriega started with Havel at Fresh Farms’ creation. Today she remains active as a sales assistant.

“Marco Serrano joined us within the first year,” Havel added. “Al Voll joined five or six years ago. Robert Hernandez is starting his fourth season. So, we’ve had stability.”

A native of Rhinelander, WI, Havel graduated from college and then entered the produce industry in 1978 by selling bananas from Dole’s Minneapolis office.

Seven years with Dole eventually led to working in California with Sun Pacific Shippers, based in Pasadena. Among other companies, he represented Tri Citrus in Porterville, CA, and Heritage Produce Sales, Inc., in Delano, CA. He created his own sales firm, U.S. Fresh Produce Sales in Visalia, CA, which he operated for eight years prior to becoming a partner with SunFed in Rio Rico 13 years ago.

“I worked there for three years and left SunFed to open up Fresh Farms for the Molina family,” Havel said. “The firm is 100 percent owned by the Molinas.

“I couldn’t have asked for an association with better people than the Molina family and our excellent group of growers. And I am blessed to work with great people on our sales and support team.”