Covilli Supports Family Farmers with Fair Trade Organic Lime Program

Started in 2015, Covilli’s Fair Trade organic lime program has shown consistent success, with steady demand overall since its inception.  

Covilli Brand Organics President Alex Madrigal said the company’s year-round organic lime program began when he was approached by two different Mexican lime growers looking for representation.  

Alex Madrigal, President, Covilli Brand Organics

“They were coming out of a really bad experience with another distributor who didn’t have them as a priority,” Madrigal said. “They had heard about our label and were looking to continue marketing their product. So after an initial vetting period and visiting their farms and meeting their families, we all agreed we’re a good match and moved forward with a partnership that continues to prove fruitful nine years later.”  

Covilli’s lime growers are located in two states in Mexico—Veracruz and Yucatán—and both are family-owned operations that were farming organically long before partnering with Covilli. 

“Our Veracruz grower has an interesting story as he started his agriculture career as a butcher and accidentally stepped into lime production in the ‘80s,” Madrigal said. “A customer offered him a small lime orchard outside Veracruz, and he jumped at the opportunity as he always appreciated the farming way of life. Over the years, he slowly built his farms from the ground up to include a packinghouse and multiple locations.” 

Madrigal said his Yucatán grower “caught the love-for-ag bug” after working with his mother at a local fruit stand. He eventually became a niche wholesaler servicing the Riviera Maya in the days before it was a major resort destination.   

“Several years later, he achieved his dream of owning and operating an organic lime orchard,” Madrigal said. “He is a source of employment for many locals and is consistently innovating organic fertilization and integrated pest management techniques.” 

Madrigal said Covilli’s lime program has seen modest growth since its inception. “The first two to three years, demand was pretty steady, with a load every 10 days. During peak months, that would shorten to two loads every seven days,” he said. “Over the years, we have built to where it is now, where we regularly take in two loads per week, with peak season (mid-February–May/June) seeing up to four per week.” 

“[Our lime growers] were coming out of a really bad experience with another distributor who didn’t have them as a priority. They had heard about our label and were looking to continue marketing their product." - Alex Madrigal

Covilli’s customer base for its Fair Trade organic limes includes a variety of large wholesalers, Whole Foods, regional retailers, and brokers. 

Madrigal noted that this year’s organic crop has been affected by a changing climate. “We saw blooms early, yet delayed sizing. Luckily, since we do source from two distinct locations, that tends to smooth the production curve, making for a more consistent supply for our customer base. Veracruz this year has seen a particularly cooler winter and therefore tighter production overall.” 

Over the last year, Madrigal said demand has been pretty steady, with some periods of heightened demand due to weather-related issues and around special events like the Super Bowl.  

 In terms of pricing, Madrigal noted that increasing competition in the organic lime market has had an overall suppressive effect over the last few years. However, he noted “the last couple of months have seen generally elevated pricing due to a cooler-than-average winter in several key production areas. But that trend is now changing as we see more production coming on line.”  

Madrigal said he hopes demand will increase and pricing will tighten up a bit with the onset of warmer weather and holidays like Cinco de Mayo. 

When it comes to merchandising and marketing advice, Madrigal said education around lime ripeness is key. “There is strong focus on dark green limes—everyone always looks for the greenest lime they can find,” he said. “We always like to remind our retailers and customers alike that the juiciest, ready-to-enjoy limes are typically a bit yellow and have some give to the touch.” 

“The last couple of months have seen generally elevated pricing due to a cooler-than-average winter in several key production areas. But that trend is now changing as we see more production coming on line.”  - Alex Madrigal

Looking to the future, Madrigal said, “Our plans are to continue to hold steady and allow our lime program to grow ‘organically’ and let demand determine where we go while our focus remains on helping our partner-growers streamline their operations in order to offer the highest possible quality of lime we are able to. All of us involved are family-owned-and-operated farms/businesses who do this work with passion but must be careful in every step we take. Therefore growth will remain moderate and cautious.”  

To learn about Covilli’s dedication to Fair Trade, check out this OPN article from last year.