Steve Magami of Agrovision on Global Microclimates, Long-Term Success, and Billion Dollar Berries

Nov 14, 2024

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Agrovision, a global leader in superfruits, is on a mission to make the healthiest snacks the most enjoyable, by utilizing a cutting edge blend of genetic research, freshness technology, and – most importantly – perfectly-suited agricultural locations to supply more consistent, nutritious, and incredible tasting berries year-round through their Fruitist label.

That “vision,” in Agrovision, comes in part from co-founder and executive chairman Steve Magami, who grew up in a health-conscious family surrounded by California’s citrus orchards. Steve graduated the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in biology and worked as a private equity investor at Lovell Minnick Partners, where a plan for a potential biofuel business took him on a trip to Peru that would change his trajectory forever.

The biofuel didn’t end up panning out, but Steve saw firsthand how advantageous Peru’s climate and infrastructure development plans were for agriculture, and co-founded Agrovision in 2012 as a vertically integrated produce operation to seize this unique opportunity. Agrovision, now one of Peru’s top exporters, employs over 15,000 field workers in Peru alone, more than half of whom are women, and has supported local communities with meaningful investments in education, transportation and healthcare infrastructure. Since its first commercial harvest in 2015, the firm has added thousands of acres of farmland in 8 countries around the globe, and now sells its high-quality berries to consumer markets across North America, Europe, and Asia. Today, Agrovision is one of America’s fastest growing companies, officially achieving a “Unicorn” valuation earlier this year – no small feat for an ag tech company!

Hear Steve talk about recognizing “perfect storms” of opportunity like the one he found in Peru, how businesses can be responsible partners in developing economies, and why redefining healthy snacking could impact the world for the better.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Steve Magami on his first aha moment
00:53 Conor Gaughan introduces Steve and Agrovision
05:08 California upbringing, venture capital, and clean tech
12:51 Peru, myth vs reality, and the origin of Agrovision
18:10 The business model, risk management, and microclimates
22:50 An outsider mentality, building trust, and transformative irrigation
28:37 Agrovision today, the superfruit industry, and raising capital
38:08 Sustainability, community programs, and finding optimism
44:41 Where to learn more and find Fruitist products near you
45:50 Conclusion and end credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Matt Ryan of Soli Organic on Indoor Organics, Carbon-free Fertilizer, and the Ag Tech Revolution