It was summer vacation in 1994 when Frank Chávez visited his brother in Colima, Mexico. Over tequila and beer, the conversation turned to the challenges Frank was facing as a nursery grower in the floriculture industry trying to propagate a specific rose, the ‘Flower Carpet’, on schedule. At the time, he was using peat moss and perlite substrates to propagate that flower without success, until his brother took him to visit a friend of his in the city of Tecomán, Colima, who had an alternative substrate: coconut fiber.

And so, what began as a project to grow roses became what is today Frank’s great passion: helping produce food with coconut substrate.

Excited to discover this new substrate, 28 years ago he received his first container of coconut fiber from Tecomán at the Port of Long Beach. “I remember it perfectly: it was October 12, 1994. That order made us one of the pioneers of coconut fiber substrates in the United States,” he says.

That is how Frank started his brand, Agrococo, in the U.S. At the time, very few people were familiar with this novel substrate, but Frank was convinced of the fiber’s benefits. They evolved from using only coir dust to being the first to use the entire coconut husk, offering a much more complete product with the particle sizes each type of crop requires according to its water retention needs.

A NEW PASSION BEGINS

“We transformed something that used to be waste into a very valuable product that, I can say without fear of being wrong, will be one of the basic elements for feeding the world, because there is a demand for more sustainable and efficient food production, something that hydroponics and coconut substrate offer,” he adds.

Producing coconut fiber brings Frank great satisfaction because it not only supports sustainability but also creates jobs in the most marginalized communities in the Guerrero region of Mexico, where, thanks to this work, hundreds of people earn a dignified living that allows them to improve their quality of life and that of their families.

“That mix of satisfactions is what keeps my passion for agriculture alive after almost 30 years. And the best 20 years of my life are still ahead of me, to keep enjoying helping people through substrate. The most valuable thing this industry has given me is my relationships with people, because they enrich you and nourish the spirit,” he says.

THE ORIGIN OF A SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCE

In 2011, Frank began building a coconut fiber production plant in Guerrero, Mexico, which, together with his partner Jorge Peña Soberanis, gave rise to their company Patromex, allowing him to maximize productivity and the quality of the final product.

Years went by and the plant in Guerrero became firmly established. In addition, together with other partners, he added 2 more production plants, and Patromex was soon serving hundreds of growers in Mexico and the United States.

Meanwhile, more than a thousand kilometers away, Raúl Mercado, an entrepreneur and grower from Sinaloa, Mexico, eager to find more efficient substrate options, began researching the benefits of coconut fiber and who the most experienced people were. That was when he heard the name Frank Chávez and decided to try his product on his crops.

Raúl was fascinated by Patromex coconut fiber and decided to invite Frank to his farm in Sinaloa. They walked for a couple of hours while Frank shared his views and advised them on coconut substrate. “The fact that Frank took the time to travel to help us and give us a masterclass on coconut fiber sparked a deep curiosity in me about the product. It lit something inside me; I knew I wanted to learn more about Mexican coconut and that I was with the best. The connection with Frank was immediate.”

At the same time, Raúl and his partner, David Cadena, were starting the hydroponic technology company DIDIHU, so they later reached out to Frank and began working very successfully with Mexican coconut substrate.

THE PARTNERSHIP GROWS STRONGER TO DO MORE WITH LESS

After several years of working as a team, Patromex and DIDIHU decided to take it one step further. To strengthen their alliance, they created a new partnership called AGROHEROES, which will use technology to transform Mexican coconut fiber into value-added substrates of the highest quality for the world.

“Ever since I met Frank, I have seen him as my mentor. The passion he puts into the product, his vast experience, and above all, the fact that we share the same values have allowed us to understand each other perfectly. He is very transparent, professional and generous. He has an impressive work ethic; he works nonstop all day and, even though he is 70 years old, he has more energy than a 25-year-old,” Raúl notes.

The trust and respect between the two sides is palpable: “Raúl and I have the same vision and the same ideals. He is a very honest and highly valuable person, and we have a lot in common; but we don’t just complement each other as people, we also complement each other through our respective companies: Patromex has a lot of experience on the production side, while DIDIHU is very strong on the sales and marketing side. We make a great team,” Frank says.

He adds that over the years many other substrate companies have sought alliances to try to do business with Patromex, but they never had the kind of connection they have with DIDIHU, with whom there has always been mutual benefit and, above all, a shared vision.

MEXICAN COCONUT FIBER: UNMATCHED QUALITY

One of the goals the partners share is to help growers understand the outstanding quality of Mexican coconut fiber, which is why they have launched a new plant strategically located in Irapuato, Mexico. The location makes it easier to serve customers. 

Raul says: “Growers struggle a lot to secure their coconut substrate because of planning, logistics and supply chain issues. So we decided to invest in this new plant to be closer to our grower friends, with the goal of offering them the best solution and service. Being close to them became our obligation.” 

For his part, Frank says: “We are manufacturing value-added, sustainable products. This first plant is a big step that opens up a world of possibilities for us. We are also already planning to open another one in 2023.”

MORE THAN A PARTNERSHIP

For Frank, this new partnership is like a marriage: “There will be ups and downs, but surely more ups, because both sides are committed to having one of those ‘marriages’ that last forever. I am convinced that the successes will continue in this new stage.”

Raúl feels the same way: “The mix is ideal: experience complemented by creativity and drive. I was incredibly lucky, because at some stage in life we all need a Master Yoda and a Luke. It’s very hard to find, but if you don’t give up and work very hard, with a little luck both sides will surely find each other.”

Meeting new growers, learning from them and helping them succeed, as well as knowing they are doing their part to build a more sustainable world, is what motivates both Frank and Raúl to formalize this partnership and take on whatever challenges come their way together.

Meanwhile, the story continues to be written…