Miguel Ángel Curiel is the new president of the National Association of Berry Exporters of Mexico, Aneberries, and a former member of the organization. "Since 2010 I supported Mario Steta, then general director of Driscoll's and president of Aneberries, in small tasks related to the association, also participating in meetings as support," he tells us, remembering his beginnings in the institution that led to almost 90% of the Mexican industry.

“After a couple of periods in which I was a member of the presidency of Aldo Mares and as vice president of the presidency of José Luis Bustamante, I had the opportunity to take responsibility for the presidency of Aneberries,” he says.

What contribution can Aneberries give to the sector?

Protect the berry productive and commercial sector from risks in terms of safety, phytosanitary, labor, environmental and commercial matters.

What contribution can Miguel Ángel Curiel give to the sector through Aneberries?

Leave Aneberries stronger and more institutionalized.

An extensive resume

Miguel Ángel Curiel was born in Los Angeles, California, and settled in Guadalajara. He grew up on the coast of Michoacán, in a family dedicated to banana production.

He graduated in Mechanical Engineering Administration from Tec de Monterrey (1992), Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of California at Davis (1997), Master in Management from IPADE (2007), Master in Finance from the Universidad Panamericana ( 2019), Master in Philosophy from ITESO (2022) and has 25 years of experience in the agricultural food industry, from production to marketing, 13 of those years at Driscoll's. Starting in 2010 as Director of Operations for Jalisco, in 2015 he took over the Directorate of Operations for Mexico, and in 2020 he was given responsibility for the General Directorate of Mexico.

What are your beginnings like in the professional world?

After graduating as a Mechanical Engineer, I imagined myself working in heavy industry, the transformation industry. Coming from the countryside, I wanted a “real” job. My first job was in the mining industry, at the Peña Colorada iron ore extractor.

¿How do you get started in the world of agriculture?

A year into working in the mining industry, I started growing jalapeno peppers as a hobby. It was there where I developed my professional vision: “To be a professional in the agricultural food industry.” From there I looked for my first job in the sector with Danisco Ingredients, a pectin processing company, and then got a scholarship with which I was able to go do my master's studies in Agricultural Economics at the University of California in Berries.

Entering the world of berries

He remembers that in 2007 he was invited by Alberto Medina Mora, today director of Fall Creek México, to collaborate in the Jalisco-Vital Berry-Giummarra-State Government Foundation project, to develop 3000 hectares of blueberries and blackberries in the south of Jalisco. At that time he was dedicated to the production of bananas on the coast of Michoacán.

"Of all the berries, the blueberry is the only berry that participates in a truly global market; the other berries compete mainly in a North American market. This forces Mexican blueberries to compete with blueberries from around the world in quality, service and cost,” he says.

What do you think will be the future for Mexico in this sector?

Without discarding the opportunities that the markets of Europe, Asia and the Middle East offer for Mexican blueberries, we must recognize the advantage that geography offers us with respect to the North American market and exploit this advantage by offering the best service, the best quality. , with a competitive cost to the North American market.

Miguel Ángel Curiel is clear that his role is fundamental in the Mexican industry and his aspirations are to “leave a strong, institutionalized Aneberries, with solid succession projects, with solid foundations in the pillars of safety, phytosanitary, strengthening of the workforce in the sector and clarity in the environmental impact priorities of the sector”, he concludes.