The banana plantations of Mexico may seem remote to the Pacific Northwest, but when it comes to organic produce, we live in a truly global economy. One of the premier providers of organic bananas to our markets is Organics Unlimited. They are a San Diego based company who works with growers of bananas and other tropical fruits in Mexico and South America. Organics Unlimited provides quality, certified produce to the US, from areas of the world that we as Americans often don't identify as being concerned with either the health benefits or sustainability issues connected with organic growing.

Organics Unlimited's president, Mayra Velazquez de Leon, is the fourth generation of her family committed to growing bananas. Her father moved from conventional to organic growing practices in Mexico in 1974, a transition that was not difficult for him based on the type of farming he was already doing, focusing on natural rather than chemical growing practices.

Founded in 2000, Organics Unlimited continues to put the entire focus of their business on organics, working with growers of bananas, coconuts, pineapples and melons from the growing process through harvesting, packing, shipping and distribution. As president, Mayra Velazquez de Leon focuses on the sales and marketing efforts in the US, Canada and Japan. Her husband, Manuel Velazquez de Leon, is Vice President. He started on the operations and procurement side of the business with the family's former organization, and now oversees all growing operations in Mexico, working with each grower to guide them through the best growing processes not only to maintain organic certification, but to also produce the best yield from each crop.

The market demand for organic tropical fruits has dramatically expanded in the past decade. Organics Unlimited is continually working to increase the supply, but it is a slow process. "Organic growing is a more difficult and labor intensive process for our growers," explains Mayra Velazquez de Leon. "The transition from conventional to organic takes about three years before they can be certified."

The Velazquez de Leon family, and their company, Organics Unlimited, are as committed to organic growing as they are to bananas. "Sustainability is at the core of our beliefs," says Velazquez de Leon. "Even before the produce community understood all that it entailed for the world and for the US market, we believed in growing tropical fruits in a more natural state, free of chemicals. As the market for organics has begun to prosper, we have expanded our focus toward the social responsibility of taking care of our workers, which helps provide us with a sustainable workforce as well. And maintaining a work force that understands the organic growing process and is willing to do the work that is involved is very important. For that reason, our laborers are always paid more than workers who are employed in conventional growing."

In 2005, Organics Unlimited founded the GROW Foundation - Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers. The purpose of the foundation is to provide programs that will improve the lifestyle of the workers and their families in the areas where the Organics Unlimited bananas are grown. The program was started through funding from the company, but is being sustained through a small surcharge added to the price of the bananas labeled with a GROW sticker. The first programs of the GROW Foundation have now been funded through the money collected from the surcharge.

All funds are distributed through the International Community Foundation (icfdn.org) which works with cross border programs to provide the connection between organizations who wish to provide support and those in need. In the particular geographic areas where the majority of Mexican bananas are grown, the first challenge has been to identify the needs and beneficial future projects. A portion of the initial funding is for a research project through the University of Colima on the socioeconomic needs of the region. While this is a small portion of the initial funds, it will help to set long term goals for collaboration with existing projects, or the development of new programs, that will help to provide a better life for the workers who are growing organic bananas and their families.

An initial grant has also been given to Project Amigo in Colima, Mexico. Project Amigo is a non-profit corporation founded by two Americans who moved to the area 20 years ago. Their mission is to enable the poor children of Colima, Mexico, to achieve their highest potential by providing educational opportunities, material support, enrichment activities, and medical and dental services not otherwise available to them. The first funding is going to help with expanding the educational opportunities for children of growers who do not have schools in immediate proximity to the banana plantations. For more information on Project Amigo, visit their website at www.projectamigo.org.

Organics Unlimited currently distributes organic tropical fruits throughout the western US, Canada and Japan. Their bananas and coconuts are available throughout the year in many natural food markets in the Pacific Northwest. Pineapples, melons and mangos are seasonal fruits. All fruits are QAI certified, ensuring quality organic processes are used in all growing and handling of the produce.


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