Coliman Bananas-Grupo AGGALL is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2023, continuing its commitment to “Nourish the World” with the highest quality bananas grown in a socially responsible manner.

Founded in 1978 by the Aguilar family, which still holds ownership, the company is currently led by CEO Jorge Aguilar Jr.

Coliman Bananas was founded with the goal of being a reliable supplier of bananas and other products from Mexico, according to Aguilar. To achieve this goal, Coliman became a vertically integrated company, with control over its product from production to market to distribution.

“Obviously, bananas have always been the main product in our catalogue, however things have changed over the years for both the Mexican and export markets,” said Aguilar. “In Mexico, in order to offer a richer experience to our customers, we extended our produce catalog so we don't sell just bananas. We select the best tropical fruits such as papayas and pineapples, also the best seasonal cantaloupe melons, apples and pears imported directly from the United States.”

Aguilar added that conventional bananas were the main focus when Coliman Bananas first started operating, but the company has since added organics, which now comprise a sizable portion of its offerings. Overall, he said organics make up 46 percent if Coliman’s business, and that number is expected to increase.

“We have been steadily growing our organic category for the last eight years,” he said. 
Regarding where Coliman’s products are shipped, Aguilar said 23 percent is sent to the United States. However, Japan is Coliman’s largest export market, with Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries in Asia and Europe also counted as important trading partners.

Aguilar said Coliman Bananas strives to grow its products in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, and as such it has earned certifications in FairTrade (2014) and the Rainforest Alliance (2015).

“Both certifications are of great importance, since they guarantee our commitment to social and environmental standards,” said Aguilar.

Expanding upon that, Aguilar said that Coliman Bananas is committed to the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable human development by creating social and environmental standards. In its trading partners, Coliman seeks to establish dialogue that is based on transparency and respect in order to achieve a higher equity in international trade.

“We aim to contribute to sustainable development by participating in better trade conditions and securing the rights of underserved farmers and workers,” he said.
Over the years, Aguilar said Coliman Bananas has faced many challenges. But he credits the company’s perseverance for its success.
“We have faced many challenges throughout the years, including climate changes, new diseases threatening banana crops, uncertainty when entering new markets, logistical issues and many other things,” he said. “But we have no doubt that one of the keys to our success is that we have been able to evolve as an organization. We have a team that is able to adapt to continued changes, and in recent years the company has adopted a culture of agile leadership, which has been of great help as we continue to face the challenges that will arise in our next 45 years – and beyond.”