Grower Spotlight: Grupo Alta’s Don Mario & Grupo Bay’s Agricola Bacatete
It’s melon & grape season!
As we approach May and spring begins to flourish, an exciting time begins at Divine Flavor: the start of our melon season from Sonora and our grape program from Jalisco, Mexico.
This past week, Divine Flavor’s Better Grower Program (BGP) team had the opportunity to visit both of these farms, where the harvest season is now underway.
One of the standout farms we visited is Bacatete, located near La Costa, Sonora. This region is uniquely positioned in a fertile area with rich soils and ideal resources — perfect for spring (and fall) melon production. Bacatete has been a valued partner of Divine Flavor for several seasons and specializes in regular seedless and mini watermelons, cantaloupes, and Hami melons. Hami melons are similar to cantaloupes but offer a better crunch and texture, making them a delicious and refreshing choice.
Led by Alejo Bay, Bacatete is equipped with all the latest agricultural tools and practices for running a successful melon operation. One of their newest developments is a state-of-the-art packing facility, which allows them to efficiently inspect fruit quality, pack various presentations, and ship directly to Divine Flavor’s warehouse in Nogales.
In terms of compliance, this grower has an impressive track record of all the industry certifications such as Primus GFS, Fair Trade USA, CCOF (for organics), and other programs such as C-TPAT and IPM compliance.
Currently, Bacatete is harvesting watermelons, with Hami and cantaloupe production expected to ramp up in the first weeks of May.
After our lovely visit to Bacatete, the BGP team traveled to Jalisco to explore Grupo Alta’s newest vineyard, now entering its sixth commercial season. Located in the subtropical region near the small town of Tolimán, the vineyard, named Don Mario in honor of the late father of Alan Aguirre, offers a unique and inspiring take on grape cultivation.
Unlike a traditional vineyard with centralized fields, Don Mario is thoughtfully spread throughout the Tolimán area, blending into the natural landscape. Growing grapes in this region presents challenges, but thanks to Grupo Alta’s experience and expertise, including production, innovation, social responsibility, and operations, the company has turned this into a strategic advantage. Don Mario plays a critical role in supplying customers with top-quality, proprietary grape varieties at a key point in the season.
At Don Mario, only premium varieties are grown, including Cotton Candy™, Autumncrisp®, Sweet Globe™, and Sweet Celebration™, among others. As the Chilean season concludes, Don Mario begins harvesting, providing fresh and flavorful grapes for Divine Flavor and the market just before the Sonoran season begins in May.
What truly sets Don Mario apart is its people. This vineyard operates like a tight-knit community, and it shows in everything they do. This season, the team is expected to pack nearly two million boxes of grapes in just seven to eight weeks, a feat that requires seamless coordination across all departments. From materials handling and quality control to forecasting and perfectly timed harvests, every detail is carefully managed to uphold the standard that Grupo Alta is known for.
Beyond its beauty, Don Mario is a marvel of planning and purpose. With over thirty-five years of experience, Grupo Alta has channeled its collective knowledge into this site, creating a world-class operation. The vineyard features cafeterias capable of serving thousands of meals per day, on-site medical and dental clinics, gyms and recreation areas for team members, and state-of-the-art packing facilities with ample space for cold storage and quality control.
Don Mario is truly one of a kind.
Recent stories from The Better Grower Program
For more information, please contact:
Michael DuPuis
Public Relations Coordinator
+1 (520)-281-8328
mdupuis@divineflavor.com
