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FRANCISCO (PACO) VEGA, 39 Co-Owner
La Galera Produce LLC
and LGX Logistics
HQ: Chicago
Hometown: Chicago
Hobbies: Watching his kids play soccer Personal/Community: Married, three daughters, one son
Work history: Vega was raised in his fami- ly’s business, Sonora Produce, located in the Chicago Water Market. At a young age, he worked in the fields with his uncle, learning ripening processes and following the family legacy. On Sundays, he went with family to the flea market to resell produce listed as “second” quality. His father sent him on deliveries to accompany drivers when he was just 8 years old. After high school, he continued his work at Sonora from the bottom up. He picked orders and became familiar with various produce and ripening processes. He soon began to sell, and he developed his own customer base. About 15 years ago, he started La Galera Produce with his twin brother, Jose Vega, collabo- rating on every aspect to open a wholesale produce distributor featuring the highest- quality Mexican and American produce in Chicago. Francisco Vega took the lead on the development of relationships with growers from across the border, as well as the logis- tical component. He brainstormed ways to increase sales and expand the company, which included the purchase of a warehouse belonging to Chicago Produce Market giant, City Wide Produce. La Galera has grown from a $38 million company to more than double in 2018. The company provides more than 100 jobs between its Chicago and McAllen, TX, locations. In 2016, the brothers opened their own logistics company, LGX to service the customers’ needs. They also have started their own brand, Galera Fresh, along with their farms in Mexico, which provide jala- peño, tomatillo and other commodities.
Q: What industry improvements would you like to see?
The culture in the market is male-domi- nated and aggressive. Along with changing times, and because I am the father of three very opinionated and strong little girls, I’d like to see women play more of a role in the industry. I think women offer a different perspective and can add a lot of positive changes.
Q: What do you know now you wish you knew when you first started your career?
Technology has facilitated everything for people in this industry, but it’s been up to us to keep up with it. I have had to make a conscious effort to learn and that meant getting out of my comfort zone. I’ve also underestimated the importance of leader- ship and branding in the industry. Positive marketing and word of mouth are critical, as they still seem to be the basis of whether a new customer is willing to work with you or they’re not. It is for this reason alone that I try to ensure that every customer, big or small, has a positive experience with La Galera and LGX.
Q: What advice would you give to someone new to the industry?
One of the biggest barriers has to do with a failure to understand that it’s not just about selling and buying — it has to do with understanding your customer’s needs and expectations. It’s about knowing what they like and understanding the customer’s purchasing trends. It’s also about the demo- graphics of the people they serve.
Q: What do you think the industry can do to promote more produce consump- tion?
While our society is making strides to live healthier lifestyles, we still compete with fast food giants. They seem to be the economical choice for the average to low-in- come family. I’d like to see the produce industry be more cost aggressive. With a disproportionate amount of childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes stemming from the more underserved and underprivileged neighborhoods, the industry must try harder to remain an option for them. Targeting this demographic would result in a direct increase of consumption, especially by the people who need it most.
JOSE D. VEGA, 39 Co-owner
La Galera Produce LLC and LGX Logistics
HQ: Chicago
Hometown: Chicago
Hobbies: Family time, watching his sons play football
Personal/Community: Married, three boys Work history: Vega comes from a family with a longstanding history in the produce industry, operating Sonora Produce located in the Chicago Water Market. He grew up learning about produce beginning with the agricultural component, from being on the farms with his father and uncles, to learning the nuances of growing the healthiest crops, to transporting and refrig- eration, and lastly to wholesale distributing. After graduating high school, he continued to work at Sonora Produce, starting at the very bottom. He picked orders and became familiar with the different produce and ripening processes. He quickly established his own connections and began to sell and soon had his own customer base. About 15 years ago, he started La Galera Produce with his twin brother, Francisco (Paco) Vega, renting a space of about 10 by 12 feet from Citywide Produce. The brothers were able to collaborate on every aspect of the produce industry to open a wholesale produce distributor that has become the youngest and fastest-growing Hispanic owned produce company in the Midwest. Currently, Vega manages a 15-person sales team, including analysis of sales trajectory and constant supervision of market fluctua- tions. In addition to being an active partner at La Galera, Vega has taken an active role in growing the “Galera Fresh” brand, which is the Vega Family’s own brand of produce. This specific produce is grown on the Vega lands in Mexico and produces an assort- ment of hot peppers, tomatillos, cilantro, verdolaga and gray squash. Vega manages all the Mexico imports, ensuring supply
can meet the daily demand. This includes close communication with all growers and partners on a constant basis. He has used his knowledge to develop La Galera from a $38-million-dollar company to more than double in 2018. The growth can be directly attributed to the purchase of a second ware- house at the Chicago Produce Market, which also created jobs for an extended crew of knowledgeable salespeople. La Galera provides more than 100 jobs between its Chicago and McAllen Texas locations. In 2016, the brothers opened their own logis- tics company, LGX, with a fleet of more than 50 trucks to service the needs of customers.
Q: What are you most proud of?
The most rewarding part of La Galera’s success has to do with our support for nonprofit organizations. La Galera’s phil- anthropic efforts include the support of the Necahual Foundation, an organization that provides programs for abused and neglected children. La Galera also has been a reliable donor to the Greater Chicago Food Deposi- tory for more than 14 years.
Q: What are some of the challenges? As in any industry the challenge is to provide the highest quality for the lowest price. Staying competitive is critical in this industry because there is a growing number of vendors, all while being shopped by smart consumers. We have to try to find ways to stay at the forefront of their favorite wholesalers. It’s also important to research market trends and find the types of fruits and vegetables that are most demanded.
Q: Do you see the produce industry as a united front?
It is absolutely critical that the industry remain a united front. We are selling perishable foods — and there are enough customers for everyone to be successful. The industry has to remain strong as each wholesaler provides niche products. As long as each farmer and vendor does its diligence in providing their best products at their most competitive pricing and service, there will always be enough customers to go around. When it comes to legislation, La Galera stands with its vendor partners to ensure that all rules governing the impor- tation and sales of the industry are fair and just.
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