Empresas Penta has expanded its agricultural activities with new production in Peru alongside existing operations in Chile. According to company president Fabio Valdés, the group invested US$60 million in a 400-hectare property in the Trujillo region of Peru, with the possibility of expanding the area in the future.
The land has been planted with blueberries destined for markets including China, the United States, and Europe. The company notes that the crop offers high yields per hectare compared with other fruit crops.
"It's a very profitable business," says Fabio Valdés, president of Empresas Penta.
In Chile, the group operates through its subsidiary Agrícola Mercedario. The company cultivates 104 hectares of Murcott mandarins in Salamanca in the Coquimbo Region and manages more than 650 hectares of cherry orchards in the Maule and O'Higgins regions. These orchards supply both the domestic market and export destinations.
Empresas Penta entered the agricultural sector in 2006, initially producing table grapes and avocados before expanding into cherry production. The company has also invested in infrastructure aimed at integrating different stages of the production and export chain.
One of the operational components is Packing Merquén SpA, located in Paine and operated through Empresas Penta. The facility handles packaging and storage operations for fruit destined for domestic and export markets.
Additional packing facilities in the Maule and Metropolitan regions support packaging and cold storage operations. These installations process cherries and nuts and include infrastructure designed to maintain product condition during handling and shipment.
The company's agricultural platform also includes farms such as Panguesillo, El Boldal, Rauquén, and Pencahue. These properties form part of the company's export operations, which include both its own production and fruit supplied by other growers.
Through its activities in Chile and Peru, Empresas Penta is developing production and agro-industrial processing capacity in fruit crops.
The group also participates in infrastructure projects through its subsidiary Las Américas, including the Variante Melipilla and Autopista Interportuaria projects.
Empresas Penta also has activities in education, healthcare, and finance. The company was involved in the founding of Universidad del Desarrollo and participates in financial services and healthcare initiatives.
Source: Blueberries Consulting
