The father of Chilean cherries

Thanks to China’s huge and growing appetite for the small sweet berry, Garcés Fruit, founded more than fifty-five years ago in the countryside of central Chile, has become the world’s biggest producer of cherries. 

Hernan Garcés, known as the “father of Chilean cherries”, joined his father’s company in 1984 at the young age of 19. A visionary fruit industry leader and innovator, Hernan has introduced new cherry varieties and modernised farming practices in Latin America, such as installing a high-density planting system, a 36- line electronic calibrator, and an automated palletizing system. 

With over 50 years of cherry growing experience and supported by consistent investment in research and development, Garcés Fruit haved moved beyond the traditionally seasonal nature of cherry farming. And by taking great care over every step of the farming process from tree to fruit to export, they can provide customers with the high quality, flavour, and texture they expect. Today, Garcés Fruits exports over 20 million boxes every year worldwide.

Cherries are notoriously challenging to grow, susceptible to weather and temperature swings. A true labour of love, they must be harvested by hand and processed individually. That’s why, 35 years ago, Garcés Fruits began its long and fruitful journey with UPL, helping to develop a suite of biosolutions that have been integral to their farm’s success. One such product is Pilatus, a biosolution that improves the delicate fruit’s tolerance of unfavourable growing conditions while also increasing crop yield. 

As a global leader in his industry, Hernan understands his unique responsibility to lead with a sustainability-first mindset. “We are very aware of where we come from and the generosity of the land that we cultivate that has given us so much,” he says. “For this reason, the sustainability of our fields, responsible management of natural resources, especially the water that irrigates them, as well as the relationships we maintain with the communities of which we are a part, will always be our priority.”