Ask For Covilli: High Quality Produce From Mid-Sized Family Farm Brings the Taste of Summer to Wintery NW
With a relationship spanning more than three decades, OGC has long relied on the impressive work of our friends at Covilli Brand Organics to help keep Northwest eaters flush with high-quality produce during our cooler months. As local growers tuck their fields in for a winter rest, Covilli provides core “summer” vegetables and fruits grown in Sonora’s Epalme Valley.
Second-generation grower Alex Madrigal and his wife Iris, are charting a progressive path both for their operation and the organic industry south of the border. 100% organic from the start, Covilli strives to make decisions that are sustainable, socially conscious and that positively impact the health of people and the planet at every step from seed to shelf.
Seeing an opportunity to fill a need for organic crops outside of the US, Covilli expanded into Mexican markets where “natural” isn’t a foreign concept, but the notion of organic has yet to take hold.
“We’re recalling a lot of the early work that was done in the US and using that to help educate our partners in Mexico about why organic is important,” Alex shares. Their work has included training produce managers in stores on how to handle and talk about organic, to working with retailers on strategy for displays and incorporating QR codes for education.
The learning curve for doing business in Mexico has been steep but rewarding.
While devoting themselves to their Mexican expansion, Covilli has also been weathering numerous challenges the US market has experienced due to the ongoing pandemic. From rising costs on transportation, materials and cartons and the imbalance in operating costs to sell prices, they’ve felt the squeeze.
In response to changing markets and patterns of decline over the past few seasons, Covilli chose this year to discontinue their Yellow Straightneck summer squash program. Long a signature crop, it was a difficult decision, but times as they are, flexibility and a willingness to innovate is key.
With one crop out, Covilli is excited to share that a new crop is in! This spring will mark the first time that organic, Mexican-grown Dragon Fruit will be available to US consumers. A few years in the making, Covilli is betting that shoppers’ continued interest in exploring unique varieties and superfoods will make this program a success!
Alex and Iris report that this year’s growing season is performing fantastically, with their peak production just a few short weeks away.
Fair weather is making for a strong, high-quality yield on their Brussels sprouts. Covilli’s Heirloom tomatoes are also eating exceptionally well. Alex and Iris report that their family is enjoying a steady supply of them in their home kitchen and encourage tomato fans to do the same. Tropical fruit enthusiasts will be thrilled that Covilli’s pineapples are going strong, making for a great promotional item.
In the Northwest, OGC is the exclusive distributor of Covilli grown produce and we hope that you will join us in supporting this exceptional grower by selecting the following products from Covilli Brand Organics:
