MISSION, Texas - Just as it did with avocado growers from Uruapan, Michoacán, that visited the Rio Grande Valley a few months back, RioPlex is now helping lemon and lime growers from the same state make important trade connections.
The lemon and lime growers are from Apatzingán, Michoacán, and they are looking to export their product in the United States.
RioPlex co-founder and chairman Joaquin Spamer hosted the growers at Klub Nautique, his riverside property in Mission.
Kicking off the event, RioPlex executive director Mario Reyna pointed out that the group was not charging the visitors for the connections it was making.
“We're not asking for anything; we're going to help you,” Reyna told the growers. “If you need something from us, we'll do it, and we're not going to ask for anything. We're here to help all of you and your friends from Michoacán.”
Spamer, who hails from Mexico City, started his remarks by explaining the surroundings and what Michoacán has in common with the Valley and Tamaulipas.
“This is a small property that my family and I built. About 12 years ago, we started using it for corporate events, to welcome people to the area. What we want is for them to see the river and realize how great it is, and that just like in Michoacán, only 0.001 percent of what's happening here is bad; everything else is positive,” Spamer said.
“We want them to leave with the impression that the area is very positive, that the security problems are very isolated, just like in Michoacán. There are problems in Reynosa, yes, but they're very isolated, just like in Michoacán.”
Spamer said it was unfortunate the lemon and lime growers could not visit SpaceX on their tour of the Valley.
“It is a shame that you won't be able to see Brownsville, SpaceX, where Elon Musk is, where all the rockets are, because that would give you a lot of certainty that this is a major region in the state of Texas,” Spamer said.
“So, if you're going to bring the money to invest (in Texas) and you go to Houston, well, if things go well, you'll earn a seven percent return. The same goes for Austin, San Antonio, Dallas. Those are already very competitive markets, but here (in the Rio Grande Valley) we’re still getting 12, 13, 14 percent returns because it's still a growing market.”
Spamer praised Reyna for his efforts in bringing companies to the region, what he calls the RioPlex Industrial Revolution.
“We're attracting many manufacturing companies that want to do business in Texas, that want to do business in the Valley, here in RioPlex. That’s what we're focusing on.”
He then gave shoutouts to the numerous RioPlex members that were present, including industrial park and distribution company owners.
“What we want you to know, as you consider investing in the area, is that there is a lot of talent here and everyone you deal with here is highly skilled. Within the RioPlex area, we have about 12 or 14 developers. We have builders, engineers, subcontractors, electricians. Everyone is highly skilled. And what we want to do is welcome you.”
Spamer continued: “The idea is that tomorrow when you do your tour of the Valley, you'll feel like you're playing on your home turf, that you'll be connected through Mario (Reyna). You'll meet a lot of local business owners, you'll meet all the banks - almost all of them are members of RioPlex. We often open the door with the CEOs, not the bank owners, and that always helps.”
Luis Medina spoke for the lemon and lime growers.
“On behalf of the entire delegation from the state of Michoacán, especially Apatzingán, we want to thank you all, and the entire team who have treated us so well. We also want to assure you that you have our full confidence,” Medina said.
“We are a group of business people, and this group is quite unique because two generations are represented here. We've come with our daughters, our sons, and the children of our friends. I want to emphasize that the people here are good, hardworking people; otherwise, we wouldn't have come together.”
Medina said that about a week ago the trip to the Valley was in doubt.
“Just a week ago, ten days ago, we weren't sure if this trip would even happen. But we all took a chance, and here we are. Our delegation isn't as large as the one from Uruapan due to time constraints, but the Apatzingán region is very prosperous and productive, as Mr. Aquiles, who lived there, can attest. We're here reminiscing with him about old times. And I want to tell you that we are just like you.”
The Aquiles Medina referenced was Aquiles Garza, president of Pharr-based Bebo Distributing Company.
“This is a private matter. There is no government involvement, not because it's a bad thing, but simply because we organized this trip ourselves,” Medina said. “I also want to take this opportunity to thank Miriam, Paola as you call her, who intervened and has this mandate from the President of the Republic. It's wonderful that she's from the private sector, doing all this out of love for her state, out of love for her land. And that's how we are here.”
Miriam Paola Pacheco Hernandez is president of Canacintra in Uruapan.
Medina then presented a gift to Spamer from Pacheco, a liquor called charanda that is made from sugarcane that is unique to Michoacán. “She sends it with great pleasure. And again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the warm welcome and the wonderful nature of this trip. Our expectations have been exceeded. Thank you so much,” Medina said.
Lemon and lime growers from Apatzingán, Michoacán, were hosted by RioPlex at Klub Nautique. (Photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
Spamer madę the closing remarks. He said that on behalf of RioPlex, Reyna has been working with City of McAllen to get a direct flight established to Morelia, Michoacán.
“We want to create a direct route between Reynosa, McAllen, Morelia, and Uruapan. I think it will be easier to get Morelia off the ground, a direct flight. Morelia is one of the busiest airports in all of Mexico. It has almost the same traffic as Querétaro. It's incredible,” Spamer said.
“So, if we manage to get a McAllen route going, I don't know what you all think, but I believe a McAllen-Morelia route can be justified. Imagine, you take León, you take the whole surrounding area, the entire Bajío region—it would be a huge success. There are so many businesspeople coming from Michoacán, and that's just talking about Uruapan, and now with Apatzingán and Morelia, but if you go to the Zamora area, everyone is doing business nearby.”
Spamer added: “It's not just a matter of saying that people from Michoacán and Tamaulipas are very similar, because unlike the rest of the country—and we're not talking about Mexico City, because I'm from there—you meet people and after three days they treat you like you grew up with them. It's the same in Michoacán, it's the same in Tamaulipas. You meet someone and after two days it's like you grew up there. That is the sense of brotherhood we have.”
RioPlex posted a review of the tour on its LinkedIn page. The group wrote:
Over the course of two dynamic days, RioPlex had the privilege of hosting a distinguished agroindustrial delegation from Michoacán for an immersive regional tour focused on cross-border trade, infrastructure, logistics, industrial growth, and strategic collaboration opportunities shaping the future of North America.
Throughout Day One, business leaders from companies including Limones Don Luis, Comercial Maderera, Refrigeración Ártico, Multiservicios del Valle, LIMHECIT, and Fresher Pay experienced firsthand the infrastructure, logistics capabilities, and industrial growth opportunities positioning the RioPlex region as a strategic hub for international business expansion.
The tour began with a visit hosted by Rodrigo Lamas and CIL Logistics at Trokadero, where the delegation explored innovative logistics operations and technology solutions supporting cross-border trade efficiency.
The delegation later visited the McAllen Produce Terminal Market and The Warehouse Kingdom, gaining insight into the scale and importance of the region’s produce and distribution ecosystem.
One of the key moments of the day was the visit to the Valeo project in McAllen, where Elizabeth Suarez and Ralph Garcia from McAllen Economic Development Corporation and Jorge Sanchez from the McAllen Chamber of Commerce presented the vision behind the development and the growing momentum of nearshoring and industrial investment in the region.
The day continued with presentations by Mario Reyna from RioPlex and Ruben Davila from Vantage Bank, highlighting the economic opportunities, financial ecosystem, and long-term potential shaping the future of the border region.
More than a regional tour, Day One represented a strategic exchange of ideas, relationships, and opportunities between leaders committed to strengthening the future of trade, logistics, agroindustry, and investment between Mexico and the United States.
The RioPlex region continues to position itself as where vision, infrastructure, and collaboration converge to build what’s next.
