Agribusiness is one of the few businesses that must reinvent itself every season, forcing farmers and the companies that comprise it to return to square one with each harvest and make it available to the market. This constant "reboot" is precisely one of the characteristics that most attracted... Hector Lujan to the agricultural sector, where he has spent a significant part of his professional career. “Every year you learn something new and have the opportunity to improve. Behind every process, there are also great efforts,” says the Mexican executive.

Luján has been leading the strategy since July 2024 HortifrutOne of the world's largest berry producers—and the leading one in Chile—attracted him not only to its scale but also to its vertical integration within the agricultural business. Founded in 1983 by Chilean Víctor Moller Schiavetti, the company has subsidiaries that handle everything from seed genetics to placing the fruit on the market. "We start with the genetic crossbreeding of different varieties and seed improvement, and we end with customer contact, bringing that product to market," he explains.

The current task of Hortifrut's general manager is precisely to consolidate its extensive network of subsidiaries, which it has built through numerous mergers and acquisitions. This network has given it operations in 15 countries and serves 500 clients in 55 markets globally. In the fields, its strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry plantations, both owned and leased from third parties, cover more than 4.300 hectares and are located in Chile, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, India, and China.

“The company has been growing through alliances and we are [currently] beginning to consolidate our efforts as a single company, with its own global identity, but with a local presence [in various markets],” explains Héctor Luján.

This means strengthening internal processes, governance, and core values ​​to drive the sustainable growth they envision for the future, based not so much on maximizing short-term gains by offering products at the lowest price, but on building long-term relationships. “Some markets prefer larger fruit, while others prefer medium-sized fruit. There are differences in sweetness and acidity. We try to meet these needs by making strategic decisions about the fruit's future with a long-term vision, while also seeking to create demand with new clients,” the executive explains.

Luján says he sees a promising future for berries, which he says will be "the healthy sweets" and are beginning to arouse greater interest from Asia Pacific countries.

In fact, the latest report from the International Blueberry Industry Association Blueberry Organization (IBO), By AgronometricsIt highlights Southeast Asia and the Middle East as regions with high short-term growth potential and asserts that India cannot be ignored and is a key point for a recent list of companies in the industry.

“We entered India in 2019 with a great partner and it has been very interesting to grow there and see the reception the fruit has had in the country,” says Luján about his foray into the Asian giant.

Hortifrut's portfolio of destinations for raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries is highly diversified. Last year, 59% of its sales were to clients in North America, 20% in Europe, 15% in Asia and other markets, and 7% in South America. The company's goal, however, is to continue "creating new markets" thanks to its work in genetic improvement. "We don't aim for the first purchase from customers, but rather the second, which is achieved through a very positive experience, especially in terms of flavor. This demand creation is achieved through genetic improvement, which impacts the fruit's flavor, and through our work with the growers who supply the produce," explains Hortifrut's general manager.

Héctor Enrique Luján Valladolid-Chief Executive Officer Hortifrut

In both Chile and Peru, the company has been working on renewing its varieties. In the former country, it introduced two new strawberry varieties and Blueberry Keepsake y ApoloIn the second market, the company is currently trying to extend production windows to avoid such sharp peaks, in a context where there are increasingly more plantations of berries in countries like China. “The Asian country has grown in production and has begun producing in different windows for almost 52 weeks a year. We have to see how we position ourselves to complement and strengthen the supply that is creating new markets and lead with Peruvian and Chilean fruit,” says Héctor Luján.

According to the IBO, Asia Pacific is the second largest region in planting blueberries Globally, China is the leading producer of strawberries in the region, followed by the Americas, accounting for 35% of global production. China is the main driver of this growth (the Asian country is also the world's leading strawberry producer).

Genetic improvement, on the other hand, is key to adapting production to climate change. The general manager assures that this process allows for harvests in more tropical and Mediterranean climates, with less need for refrigeration. “We are trying to innovate and see which regions are adapting and changing and could become berry producers,” says Luján.

A key part of Hortifrut's work under his leadership is identifying market needs and meeting them with the best fruit, again with a long-term vision, since a varietal change can take more than seven years. "You have to have long-term planning, a market vision, and firm decisions that establish a path to follow and allow us to make accurate choices," he emphasizes.

key data

• According to Hortifrut's 2024 annual report, its main competitors are: Driscoll's, Sun Belle Inc., North Bay Produce Inc., Alpine Fresh Inc., Camposol Fresh, Berry Fresh LLC., Family Tree Farms Marketing LLC., Giumarra International Marketing, California Giant Inc. and Gourmet Trading Company.
• The Canadian pension fund PSP Investments, with a 62,04% stake, is the largest shareholder of Hortifrut.
• In 2024, the company ceased to be an open corporation, cancelling the registration of its shares in the Securities Registry, approved by the Chilean Financial Market Commission in 2024.
• In 2018, Hortifrut obtained its certification as a B company, becoming the largest Chilean company at that time to join the commitment to benefit not only its shareholders, but all its stakeholders.
• In the second quarter of this year, the company's EBITDA was $184,90 million, 3,97% lower than that recorded in the same period of 2024. As detailed in its earnings report, this decrease is due to revenue growth that was lower than the increase in sales volumes and costs, in a scenario of better prices for blueberries and cherries in Chile.
• In 2025, Hortifrut recorded losses of $132,96 million due to higher costs associated with the closure of agricultural operations in Mexico that did not achieve the expected results and the rotation of varieties in Peru and China. Héctor Luján assures, however, that the company's cash flow is improving and has a very favorable outlook for upcoming results.
• Peru consolidated its position as the world's largest exporter of blueberries, with shipments worth $2.270 billion in 2024, according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture.