Last Monday, August 29, 2022, we were honored with the visit of the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Mr. Rodrigo Chaves Robles, at our MexiFrutas Plant located in El Cairo de Siquirres, third canton of the Coastal Province of Limón in Costa Rica; Mr. Chaves was accompanied by Government Ministers, Hierarchs of Government Entities, Deputies for the Province of Limón, the Mayor of Siquirres, CINDE, among others. The visit was part of the president’s tour of the Atlantic region of the country, where he visited various sectors, including our company, which contributes to generate jobs and to develop the Province of Limón as well as the country through the export of fruits, which ones are grown mainly in the area and are transformed into pineapple juice and banana puree to supply the market of Europe, The USA, The Middle East and Mexico.

President Chaves Robles and his companions were warmly received by our President Partner Mr. Luis Mario Chaurand, our General Director Sergio García Aldrete and Erick González Cortez, General Manager of the Costa Rica Plant, commercial partners, and both administrative and operational collaborators of the plant.

$5 million investment to grow the Costa Rica Plant

During the visit of President Chaves Robles to MexiFrutas, our President Partner, Engineer Luis Mario Chaurand, announced the investment of $5 million to implement a second pineapple juice processing line, including the adjacent equipment and services: “We are pleased to announce our growth in Costa Rica. From the moment we started operating 2 years ago, we found multiple reasons in the country to grow and continue producing with the best international standards. This investment involves duplicating all the processes that pineapple juice requires, from extraction, sterilization, aseptic filling, as well as the services that are required for proper operation.”

In addition, Engineer Chaurand added: “Our plant in Siquirres has a strategic location to access high quality product, both banana and pineapple produced mainly in Limón.” This investment will generate new jobs at the plant.

The Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Manuel Tovar, commented on the importance of attracting investment outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM): “attracting investment outside the GAM is a priority on our agenda, where we are working to boost productivity and competitiveness of these areas that are translated into the generation of employment and development of opportunities.” In addition, he indicated: “Three years ago, the modern fruit pulp processing plant, MexiFrutas, found in the Province of Limón the optimal conditions for the growth and diversification of its business line. Today, with this investment of $5 million, it will generate 20 new jobs that join the current 250, contributing to the well-being of Limonenses.”

In response to the investment announcement, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles told the company’s employees that: “Every time a company grows, each additional meter allows people’s dreams to be projected towards a better future, more than numbers on a spreadsheet, this investment harbors dreams, plans, prosperity for the families from Limón, who will have a decent and well-paid job. Bringing the fruits that we proudly produce in Costa Rica to other parts of the world means the efforts of many workers to meet the needs of their families, you are a fundamental part of that prodigious union.”

In addition, the board of directors of MexiFrutas expressed to the President some of the communities needs nearby the Plant in terms of infrastructure and telecommunications, which ones, if they could be solved, would improve the feasibility of the industries to continue investing in this area, which would have an impact on a better quality of neighbors’ life.

Additionally, the need to attract technical training programs in industrial specialties and social skills was exposed, which would benefit both the working population and the town of El Canton de Siquirres, through the intervention of the National Learning Institute (INA).

President Chaves Robles expressed his gratitude for the reception and, his commitment to respond to the requests made, so that both the industry and the communities continue to develop.

On the other hand, Eric Scharf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CINDE, congratulated MexiFrutas, mentioning the importance of having investments outside the GAM: “At CINDE we are committed to the development of all regions. For more than 8 years we have worked hand in hand with the communities of the Caribbean, North Zone, Chorotega, West, Central Pacific, and South Zone to promote and strengthen the attraction of investments, taking advantage of what each region can offer. Projects such as MexiFrutas are a success story and show us that the efforts made are beginning to bear fruit.”

For our part, we thank Mr. President Rodrigo Chaves Robles and all his companions for their valuable time, and we commit to continue working in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for the benefit of all interested parties.

Thank you very much for your visit, Mr. President Rodrigo Chaves Robles!

Publication date: 09/03/2022