MISSION, Texas - Aquiles Jaime Garza, president of Pharr-based Bebo Distributing Company, has praised the work of RioPlex and its founder and chairman, Joaquin Spamer.
Garza had a chance to reminisce with Spamer about old times, as well as discuss the current trends in international trade when RioPlex brought a group of growers from Michoacán, Mexico, to Mission. The growers specialize in lemons and limes and they are looking to find distributors for their products in the United States.
“This has been a great opportunity for us distributors to meet these people, and maybe in the future distribute the product over here, as long as the product meets all the USDA requirements and good agricultural practices. It'll be a good thing,” Garza said.
The lemon and lime growers are following a path set by avocado growers from Michoacán who were also introduced to the Rio Grande Valley by RioPlex.
“It takes someone with initiative to bring these growers over and to set up meetings for them. And so kudos to Joaquin Spamer. He's doing a great job,” Garza said.
“I’ve known Joaquin for the last 40 years. We were going to Pan American University at the same time, that is where I first met him. We've known each other for a long time. He's doing a great, great job.”
RioPlex aims to market the Rio Grande Valley and northern Tamaulipas around the world. Asked what he thinks of the concept, Garza said:
“The concept is great. I really am very proud of Joaquin for taking the initiative. That is what it takes, somebody to take the first step, and it (RioPlex is) going to grow, definitely.”
Spamer is founder and president of CIL Group, a major international logistics and cross-border supply chain company based in the Rio Grande Valley. When asked if he could have ever envisaged Spamer becoming such a successful businessman when he was in college, Garza said:
“You could tell. He was typical of someone from Mexico City. They are great about talking about the future and how they want to get involved and get ahead. Back then I could see Joaquin had initiative. Sometimes you have to add more pieces to the puzzle to do what he's doing, but he prayed hard and he got it.”
Spamer got his first break when then McAllen Mayor Othal Brand helped him secure a warehouse in Hidalgo. “Othal used to help people, not everybody, but he would select the people that he would help. And he saw potential in Joaquin.”
When asked how his distribution business is going, Garza said: “In have been in business 48 years. I am 75 years old. The distribution business has become more complicated. It has its ups and downs. Why? Because of supply and demand. But over the past year we have seen a lot better return for the growers, which is good. Growers are the spine of the economy anywhere in the world because you have got to eat. And so, you’ve got to produce. I'm very happy right now because we handle 17 different products, and all of them have had a decent, if not excellent price so far this year.”
Garza continued: “I have been lucky. I have good partners, growing partners in Mexico, in the central part of Mexico, the Pacific side of Mexico. A lot of people come and go in this industry. Something happens and they don't stay in the business for too long. But we've been lucky, we've been blessed. I attribute everything that we've done to the man up there.”
He pointed skywards.
When asked if there was anything else he would like to add, Garza said: “I just want to take my hat off to Joaquin. It takes a lot of time and effort to do all of this. To be honest with you, I probably couldn't do what he's done. So I'm very proud of him for doing it.”
