Back in the 1960s, the Coliman brand was born in the Mexican state of Colima, founded by Mr. Custodio Aguilar Málaga, who started with exporting bananas. Over time, his vision and commitment to quality inspired the next generation to grow the family business. Led by his sons Jorge, Víctor, and Custodio Jr., the company expanded toward northwestern Mexico, opening distribution centers in Hermosillo, Tijuana, and Mexicali. These centers served to strengthen the supply chain and reach the domestic market more efficiently. At this time, Coliman had already become well recognized for its quality, consistency, and service distributing not only bananas but other commodities as well.
Avocado beginnings
As the distribution business grew, the Aguilar family realized they needed a steady supply of avocados and in 1990 the company decided to start an avocado business. "It was established right in the heart of one of Mexico's best avocado-growing regions, Santa Clara del Cobre, in the state of Michoacán," says Sergio Paz, General Manager of Coliman Avocados. In the early years, the company focused entirely on the domestic market, supplying fruit to its distribution centers in northwestern Mexico. Back in the 1990s, there was a big rise in domestic consumption and avocados became a staple in most Mexican households. They could also be found in every restaurant, often served without even asking for them. "At that time, prices were low and many growers struggled to make ends meet." However, since then, the avocado industry has changed tremendously.
© Coliman Avocados
Export focus
Things began to shift when exports to the U.S. market took off and when Mexican avocados started gaining market share in Japan, Canada, and the U.S. It wasn't until 2003 when exports to these countries started up. "Thanks to the entrepreneurial vision of the Aguilar family, coupled with a reputation for quality and reliability, Coliman Avocados rapidly expanded beyond Mexico's borders," commented Paz. From then on, the entire industry became more export oriented and in the years that followed, the Coliman brand continued to strengthen its position in North America and Japan. "Over the years we have built strong and lasting relationships with customers in all these markets as well as the Middle East. These markets have been key to our international growth and our reputation for quality. At the same time, we continue to value our presence in the Mexican market," said Paz. Today, the United States imports the largest share of Coliman's avocados, followed by Canada.
This growth resulted in many orchards being planted. In 1997, there were only about 60 registered growers and five packing houses. Today, there are more than 30,000 growers and nearly 90 packing facilities in the country. "The growth of the avocado industry is truly a success story, a reflection of what can be achieved through teamwork between growers, packers, and importers," shared Paz.
© Coliman Avocados
Unique growing regions
Coliman's avocados are mainly grown in the states of Michoacán and Jalisco. These regions offer ideal weather and soil conditions to produce premium quality fruit, allowing for a year-round supply. In Jalisco, the company's own production is complemented by fruit from selected growers. "We've maintained long-standing partnerships with these growers, based on trust, consistency, and shared quality standards." Coliman is confident this collaboration will continue to support its growth.
The company's packing facilities are fully certified to handle both conventional and organic avocados, depending on the customers' needs. At the moment, organic avocados represent about 10 percent of total production volume, but that share continues to grow as demand increases.
© Coliman Avocados
Preferred choice
In addition to investing in the growth of production volume, the company has also heavily invested in upgrading its facilities. "We've expanded our bagging capacity, improved our packing efficiency by more than 50 percent and increased and modernized our cooling space," said Paz. The company is prepared to keep investing to meet the growing demand for avocados. "More importantly, we remain committed to maintaining the Coliman brand as the best choice for both our current and future customers and consumers."
"For us, avocados represent passion, care, and commitment. We know our business, our growers, and our customers, and understand what it takes to do things right. We carry a name and a tradition that we're proud to honor, and our entire team is deeply committed to ensuring that the Coliman Avocados brand remains the most trusted and preferred choice in every market we serve."
For more information:
Sergio Paz
Coliman Avocados
Tel: +52 452 52 56062
[email protected]
www.colimanavocados.com
