Recipes
Growing Community, Together
It takes a community to grow berries. From the joy makers that breed our delicious varieties to the grocers that sell them to you. It might take you a few minutes to enjoy berries, but it takes years to develop the perfect varieties and cultivate a community to support growing them.
There are a lot of people that must work together to put berries on your table. That’s why our business is run differently from others. We don’t grow our own berries. Our Joy Makers develop proprietary varieties and our nurseries cultivate the plants. We then hand those off to 700 independent farmers that range in size to do what they do best. Once sold, about 85% of the revenue goes back to the farmers. This is a business run on mutual dependence and shared success which leads to an understanding – that we are all better together. That we are one interwoven family greater than the sum of its parts.
The wider communities where we operate are also a part of this family. One example of a community positively impacted by berry growing is Jocotepec, Mexico. Over 22 years ago, Driscoll’s set up small plots and worked with local farmers to farm berries. “Within two years, they were better farmers than we were,” notes Driscoll’s CEO, Miles Reiter. Since then, workers’ pay has increased, and quality of life has risen in the region. This can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the farmers and harvesters as well as the local businesses that opened to serve the community. It is also a testament to the work Driscoll’s has done to retain workers and ensure they are treated with consideration and respect.
For us to remain successful in the long run, we must seek to grow in harmony with communities, like Jocotepec, and the environment we depend on. This is a never-ending pursuit. That is why we implemented global labor standards and are constantly evaluating needs regionally and identifying opportunities to improve living standards and working conditions. This includes improving housing and increasing access to services like healthcare, childcare, and employment training.
Learn more about Driscoll's labor program.
Watch the video below to learn how local farmers, with the help of Driscoll’s, worked to grow a thriving community in Jocotepec, Mexico. This video is dedicated to them and everyone that works toward delivering the finest berries to you.