Harvest Blessings and Bountiful Thanks ~ A message from the CEO

Fall is here in the Northern Hemisphere, employees across the logistics divisions of the Prime Group are working 24-7 shipping and handling for harvested agricultural products now heading to their retail and wholesale destinations.

Just-picked grapes are transiting to wine production, fruits are in transport to markets and restaurants customers. Plantains and olives are moving to food manufacturing plants, where, presto, they’ll soon be transformed into snack foods and olive oil.  Glass containers, cardboard, and other materials critical in manufacturing are also on the move, under the watchful eye of Prime Group’s dedicated teams of logistics experts around the world.

Whatever the journey, I’m proud of all our employees who are staying on top of the process in every way. You are to be commended for keeping the global pipeline of fresh products flowing to market or production on time and on budget.

Traditional Celebrations Worldwide
Also, as fall is in full swing, I’d like to recognize a few of the many annual events, both secular or religious – and the diverse traditions taking place across the globe in celebration of the bountiful harvest season.

Just weeks ago, for instance, some employees and customers in the United Kingdom and other northern countries participate in Lammas (“loaf mass”) Day to recognize the start of the grain harvesting season. They bake Lammas bread, make corn dollies and put on large feasts with loved ones. Following that, the annual Harvest Festival typically marks the end of the annual growing season in September.

In Canada, the annual Thanksgiving Day was observed on the second Monday of October. Residents – as their ancestors have done over the centuries – give thanks for the harvest and their god’s blessings for the bounty. In the modern era, the Canadian Parliament officially deemed the day a national holiday in 1957.

Just concluded in Israel, the annual Sukkot is a high holy week and celebration of bountiful harvests. In one tradition, residents hold and shake four species of plants – palm, myrtle, willow, and citron. In another, some eat and/or sleep for a week in small temporary huts with a roof open to the sky; that pays homage to Israelites of the past who wandered within the desert for decades and lived in temporary shelters.

In Magione, Italy, over a two-day period in November, the fall Olivagando festival focuses on “la dolce goccia” or the “sweet drop” of high-quality olive oil. Unfolding in the nation’s Umbria region, it’s celebrated in concert with the feast of St. Clement.

Across the globe, Korean families come together to celebrate the three-day Chuseok harvest festival on the 15th day of the lunar calendar’s eighth month. It’s a time for families to share meals and talk about their ancestors.

Within the United States, I know that many of our employees and customers are looking forward to Thanksgiving Day later this month – officially November 24. While President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, the first Thanksgiving celebration took place far earlier. In fall 1621, Pilgrim colonists in Plymouth, Mass., celebrated a successful wheat crop and shared a meal of partridge, wild turkey, and fish with Indigenous Americans.

Southern Hemisphere Celebrations
Of course, in the Southern Hemisphere, harvest comes at a different time of the year. In Mendoza, Argentina, events in the first quarter of the year celebrate the grape harvest, honor centuries of traditions and feature a modern-day wine festival that began in 1936.

In Bali, Indonesia, every May and June, a harvest festival honors the Hindu rice god, Dewi Sri. During this time, farmers place temples to the god in their rice paddies and make offerings of rice-stalk dolls.

Many other countries including India, Swaziland, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines also celebrate harvest season. We appreciate all the traditions and, as we navigate out of the pandemic, it’s an opportune time right now, regardless of where you live, to give thanks for a robust harvest and our many blessings.

I’d also like to again thank the employees representing all the Prime Group companies for their dedication throughout the year in serving our clients. In addition, to our valued clients, I extend heart-felt gratitude for entrusting us with your business. The harvest season signals a hefty ramp-up for our Prime Group divisions as we work to ship your agricultural products and a cornucopia of other goods around the world – on time and on budget. We’re striving to do our best for you as we all navigate through recent global challenges including supply chain issues.

Most of all, wherever you are across the globe, we give thanks for you and wish you a bountiful, happy, and healthy year ahead.

~ Roger Paredes

Better Together: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage, Broadening the Horizon

Here we are in the heart of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the very midpoint of the month-long celebration that got underway Sept. 15 to honor the history, culture, and achievements of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

I’m particularly pleased that this year’s chosen theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.” It seems fitting given what our entire global community has endured coming out of the pandemic and since. Ily Soares, Supervisory Accountant at Farm Credit Administration submitted that winning theme to the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHPM).

Speaking from the heart, “One uniting factor within our Hispanic community is our desire to be included and represented in all aspects of American society,” Soares emphasized. “As has been proven, when different voices are sitting at the metaphorical table and included in key decisions, the entire community benefits from greater solutions that address concerns from all people.”

Certainly, while negativity abounds in society, this year’s theme offers all of us a powerful, uplifting message. Not only does it encourage us to celebrate our heritage, but it also shows how great our tomorrow can be if we simply be united in our resilience – and hope.

The Roots of Our Celebration

Case in point, the Hispanic Heritage observance began in 1968, another challenging time in our nation’s history with the Vietnam War in full swing, racial strife on the rise and violent protests on college campuses. But Hispanic Heritage Week was a positive focus. It began as a weekly celebration under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan to cover a 30-day period; it was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

Personally, I view Hispanic Heritage Month as a great way of honoring cherished ancestors and building on their legacy. Our own company, Prime Logistics is a minority-based Hispanic company and was founded 20 years ago in Quito, Ecuador. But from the outset, the company’s vision was to grow and prosper – becoming a global leader in logistics services and products.

Solid Partnerships and Growth

Thanks to the solid partnerships we’ve established and maintained over the years with the world’s top air cargo carriers including Emirates SkyCargo, Atlas Air, and others, we’ve done just that. Early on, we also moved our headquarters to Miami, and over the years continued to build our expertise and reliability.

So, while we’re now considered the top “go to” provider of air cargo logistics and transport for the flower industry in both Ecuador and Colombia, we’ve also widened our business horizon by handling shipping and transportation for all types of sensitive perishables – from seafood to medications, from meat to fresh produce. In addition, Prime Logistics’ shipments are increasingly headed for more distant destinations across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

I am also happy to note that Prime Planet is also thriving – our Miami-based snack chip company that produces a line of delicious fried green Tostones from fresh plantains harvested in Ecuador, and then manufactured there, too. Talk about a success story, with a “taste” of Hispanic pride and ingenuity in every bite.

I think the overall message is that people of diverse cultures and backgrounds have much to contribute and are also “stronger together.” That message definitely reflects our corporate philosophy and is a key element of our dealings with our employees, our partners, and our customers.

So, if you are Hispanic, let me thank you for your contributions to our country, our world – and our company, of course! For those of other cultures or ethnic backgrounds, thanks too for all you do. Together, “united,” we are stronger, better, and can create greater amazing opportunities for future happiness and success.

Visit Us at Expo Flor Ecuador

On a final note, I am excited to announce we are heading to Quito, where Prime Group got its start 20-plus years ago, to attend Expo Flor Ecuador, Oct. 5-7. We are extremely excited that our entire PrimeAir sales staff from Colombia, Ecuador, and Miami will be there, in full force. As the one of the largest international flower fairs in the industry, this is a huge opportunity for our team, and we want to make the best of it. So if you are in the “neighborhood” this week, at Centro de Convenciones Metropolitano de Quito, please come by Booth M09 for a visit.