The 6 Pillars: A Story Behind the Product

The 6 Pillars:
A Story Behind the Product

November 8th, 2021

Nogales, AZ- As we approach the end of 2021 and move into the last months of the year, Divine Flavor will transition from its summer programs in Baja into the western regions such as Sonora and Sinaloa. The company’s central regions started a bit earlier compared to previous years, but this is due to earlier planting to help fulfill a year-long program with certain commodities.

Wrapping up with the Grower Summit which was held last month in Hermosillo, Divine Flavor and their grower partners gathered to review industry requirements and discuss important updates before the season begins for its western region farms. But one of the main focuses being reviewed at the yearly summit were the 6 pillars.

WHAT ARE THE 6 PILLARS?

In the 2018, Divine Flavor introduced its 6-pillar campaign which focuses on the main areas related to the produce industry. The pillars, being the foundation of the company’s core mission of providing ‘Better Food for a Better World’, would be the guidelines to comply at each farm/greenhouse location for each product year-round.

The pillars were created to up-hold a standard within the company and all its growing locations so there is consistency amongst the products being offered to customers from Divine Flavor. The pillars consist of quality, food safety, social responsibility, traceability, organics, and sustainability

Although all pillars have equal importance, everything starts with quality. We are in the produce industry and we produce a type food which contributes to health and consumers’ well-being. It is important to specialize and perfect quality at all our farms and greenhouses. Quality products equal flavorful products whether it’s our mouth-watering table grapes coming from Sonora, our crunchy and delicious bell peppers coming from central Mexico, or our juicy-rich tomatoes from Sinaloa and Baja California. Producing the best tasting product stems from our quality pillar and its standards implemented with our growing locations.

No matter what food commodity consumers are purchasing, they must be guaranteed the products they consume meet the highest levels of food safety. In the produce industry, food safety has seen its fair share of updates throughout the years, whether it’s related to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regarding standard traceability programs, or water testing requirements mandated by the FDA. Regardless, Divine Flavor utilizes a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) across all their farms, and although there are several methods to growing with safety top of mind, the GSFI scheme has served as a reliable practice for the company’s overall food safety approach. It starts with recognizing farm workers have thorough programs in place and training is conducted regularly. Most important, it verifies hazards are controlled through Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). At Divine Flavor, it is our responsibility to ensure the products we grow for our customers are the same we would feed our own families with. Our customers deserve to know the product they purchase was grown responsibly through experienced farmers who treat food safety as a top priority.

One of the most important elements we promote within our company is social responsibility. Our secret to producing the best products start with having the best employees, from the farm to the packinghouse, and our distribution center to the front office. We work tremendously to promote safe and healthy work environments for all of our collaborators so they are empowered to perform the best work quality possible. As Fair Trade Certified™ growers, we create more opportunities to improve the livelihood of our farmers and their communities. Our employees are the heart of the company and the source to the great-tasting products we produce.

Our consumers deserve to have insight and know where their produce comes from which is why we strive to have full transparency with each of our farm locations. Each of our products are fully traceable back to the farms in the event our product doesn’t meet our standards. At Divine Flavor, traceability is not just a food safety related area, but also a way to inform customers about the product they purchase and where it comes from. We want to educate and build trust with our clients so they can make informative decisions about the produce they purchase.

Organics and sustainability are the DNA of Divine Flavor’s growing philosophy. As producers of fresh produce, it is our duty to grow products which are healthy and don’t contain harmful, unnatural substances. To grow the best tasting fruits and vegetables, we must manage our production responsibly and grow in the purest manner possible. As sustainable farmers, growing organic is one of the best ways to preserve the lands we grow on and also protect the people who work there. Organic practices have a tremendous impact on preserving the soils and having healthier plants. Each of our farms puts a heavy emphasis on water management. In agriculture, water is the most essential element to producing. Without the proper management of water, we waste a precious resource critical to agricultural production.

The 6 pillars are more than just a list of requirements- they are a promise to the customers, our families, and most importantly, ourselves- staying true to our core mission of providing better food for a better world. Today, and more than ever, the produce we purchase for our families, and to live a better and healthier life is more than what meets the eye. There’s a story behind the product which is driven by passion, dedication, and commitment. A Divine Flavor fruit or vegetable is a product that not only serves our communities, but also the communities in which they were harvested and the communities of where our farmers come from.

At Divine Flavor, we want our customers to know our fruits and vegetables are flavor-focused, derived from sustainable farms and hand-picked from skilled workers who are treated with dignity and respect. The produce cultivated at our farms is done so with the safest food safety measures in place, fully traceable to its origins. We want our customers to know their produce is 6-pillar guaranteed.

MEET THE FARM TEAM

“The adoption of the 6 pillars in our production chain helps us guarantee the satisfaction of our clients in addition to ensuring our consumers quality products, which is safe, easy to trace, sustainable, organic and responsible with society and our collaborators”

Vianey Camacho – Viva Organica- Jalisco/Culiacan/Baja California, Mex.

“Working with good practices to offer clean, fresh products of the best quality for consumers is the best way to take care of the families who consume our products.

Carlos Espada – Hortifresh- Jalsico/Culiacan, Mex.

“Plant care is essential to deliver a quality product. Offering good quality to the market is essential for us as producers. Providing stable, safe and quality-of-life work for our employees helps us to produce the best products to offer to consumers ”

Héctor López – PLC- Jalisco, Mex.

“Quality and flavor are a commitment that we have with each of our clients. More than fruit, we sell an experience of taste and quality. The 6 pillars are the fundamental areas which allow us to be the best producers we can be as a company. To comply or excel with each pillar is a commitment hard to come by in this industry and we are proud of this standard our company has set forth ”

Álvaro Muñoz – Grupo Alta/Divine Flavor- Hermosillo, Mex.

“The 6 pillars have helped us to become aware of the processes, certifications, social commitments and to be sure that the products that are reaching consumers are products with the highest quality in the market”

Zaida Aguilar – La Esperanza- Jalisco, Mex.

“Quality and flavor are a commitment that we have with each of our clients. Ma“Always thinking that organic products are healthier for our customers, we are very committed to achieving total quality in these products through programs and certifications”ore than fruit, we sell an experience of taste and quality. The 6 pillars are the fundamental areas which allow us to be the best producers we can be as a company. To comply or excel with each pillar is a commitment hard to come by in this industry and we are proud of this standard our company has set forth ”