Category: Featured

Holiday Season Offers Good Reason to Smile

December 23, 2019

Once a year, Prime Group’s hard-working employees turn their attention to the important task of hardly working – for one glorious night – during the company’s annual holiday party.

Last month’s gala holiday party in Downtown Miami offered an opportunity for the staff to let their hair down, as the old expression goes, and have a whole lot of fun together, as captured in these festive photos.

Hosted at the InterContinental Hotel Miami, the party was as a welcome break from the serious commitment the staff puts in all year, on behalf of the many customers of Prime Group’s four divisions: PrimeAir, Prime Logistics, Prime Fresh Products, and Prime Fresh Handling.

Holiday functions traditionally serve as a way to boost team morale and to reward loyalty – and this year’s event was no exception. But such functions are also a way by which company leadership shows genuine gratitude to their team. CEO Roger Paredes did just that, by stepping up to greet employees, their spouses and partners, and other guests as they settled in for an evening of frivolity.

Expressing his pleasure in seeing so many familiar faces and others who have left the company only to return, he noted “This is a sure sign of our success, and that the companies of Prime Group remain an attractive place to work.”

In addition to so many successes over the past year, he noted that there were of course some difficulties, as well. “But together, we were able to overcome those challenges, which were mostly market driven.”

“Our successes in 2019 were made possible by the dedication and resolute commitment of this team – now 100 employees strong – and all the things you do to help us continue to prosper, year after year.

“Without you, none of this would be possible. So, from bottom of our hearts, COO Omar Zambrano and I wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

  

   

Happy Holidays to all, from the Prime Group family

December 3, 2019

It has been said that feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. With 2019 coming to a close in just a few short weeks, all of us here at Prime Group hope that this holiday season, and the year ahead, hold great things for you and your entire family of friends and loved ones.

The holiday season is a time to spend with the most important people in your life. It is my wish that in the midst of your celebrations, you find a few moments of peace and embrace the spirit of what this time of year is truly about.

There are no hard and fast rules in holiday reflection. The end of one year and the start of another, along with the holiday time off and gatherings, just seems to naturally inspire us to reflect and express gratitude at every turn!

From a business standpoint, the same rings true. ‘This also the season to reflect, be thankful, and eagerly anticipate. Joined by my business partner Omar Zambrano and the entire Prime Group management team, that’s exactly what we’re doing right now. As the year comes to an end, we’re thinking about what was and what will be.

First and foremost, we thank our employees who are the finest group of professionals ever found at one company. They work hard and long – and strive to be better every day. They understand and live our values at work and most likely at home, by espousing “Honesty; Responsibility; Commitment and Integrity.”

We also wish to thank our customers, without whom, everything is irrelevant. We thank them for their loyalty, appreciation, and their receptiveness to our ideas and solutions.

Prime Group had a very good 2019. We grew the business at an astounding rate compared with our peers. And we made tremendous new staff additions and adjustments – all positive moves geared to support our 2019 goal of realigning the business on the commercial side.

In addition, we increased the scope of products and services for our customers, which also allowed us to work with others we previously had not served. In particular, we focused on growing customers in Los Angeles, New York, and Amsterdam, and succeeded in doing so.

We dedicated much of 2019 to the reinforcement of our corporate values, which is what will guide us into the New Year. We know adherence to our values makes us better. They define what we want to be, how we want to act, and how we want to be perceived.

Therefore, for 2020, we pledge to continue to be an organization that provides quality services, that is recognized for its honesty and professionalism, and that has a keen eye on constant innovation and adaptation.

Having just finished our budgeting and forecasts for 2020, I am confident I’ll have more good news to share in the months ahead. The plan is to continue building upon our successes, create new possibilities and customers in all-new service areas, all the while maintaining our historic high levels of service.

So, whatever your plans are for the New Year, Prime Group wishes you the best in reaching your goals, and striving for a brighter future.

Prime Group is off the bench and on top of its game

October 31, 2019

Last month while attending the big flower show in Bogota, Proflora, I got to spend quality time with some industry friends and customers who have worked with Prime Group over the years – people I have known since my business partner Omar Zambrano and I starting this company 20 years ago.

So naturally there was a lot of talk of “back in the day,” mixed in with a bunch of “I remember when” stories.

Reminiscing like this gives us a greater appreciation of just how far we’ve come in the shipping business in the past two decades. It also opens our eyes to the new realities of global logistics — changes that are happening at break-neck speed.

And I truly believe they are changes for the better. I mean, of course, there has since been major consolidation among air carriers and freight forwarders, and a lot of small farms across Ecuador and Colombia have been bought up by big-farm interests.

But I’m mostly referring to the way emerging technologies are now allowing us to build in such significant operational efficiencies, processes that we could never have imagined back in the day.

Ok, before I go any further, I’ve got to just share just one I-remember-when story, about how freight forwarders would come by to see what you’ve got to ship, with a typewriter under one arm and calculator in the other hand. They’d count up all our boxes and kilos, work some numbers, and then hand over an airway bill. I would then pull out my own handy calculator to double check whether they did it all correctly. Sometimes it was right, sometimes it was way wrong. You really had to be on your game.

That part certainly hasn’t changed. We still have to be on top of our game in logistics, but nowadays, we’ve got some amazingly sophisticated new tools that not only boost efficiencies but our competitiveness, too.

Today, it’s all about technology and automation.

Business Intelligence
Take for instance a major new tool that the Prime Group companies just launched. It’s called Power BI, a business analytics service – with the BI standing for Business Intelligence – and it really is a smart way to go.

It’s a platform that provides nontechnical business users with tools for aggregating, analyzing, visualizing and sharing data. The Power BI user interface is really quite intuitive for anyone familiar with Excel, and because it integrates with other Microsoft products, it’s a very versatile self-service tool that requires little upfront training.

With it we are finding insights within our organization’s data, by helping connect a wide range of data sets and then transforming them into easy-to-understand charts and graphs that provide a real-time “story” about what’s going on system wide. Best part is, all of this is being shared with other Power BI users within the organization.
No longer do we spend long hours at month’s end, gathering up our sales, shipping, and performance data, in order to package it in a report that presents stale data on key performance indicators.

Today, we pop out a cell phone, open the Power BI app, and get a real-time snapshot that allows us to answer questions in real-time and help with forecasting to make sure the different departments and division are meeting business metrics. The charts and data visualizations can even examine “what if” scenarios.

Tools like Power BI – and all the advances to come with artificial intelligence are clearly revolutionizing our industry. Only those companies that are able to use the new tech to their advantage will survive, grow, and thrive.

I am happy to report that Prime Group is off the bench and already on the playing field, stepping up our game. With a winning combination of best-in-industry customer service and advanced technology, we’ve got what it takes to win.

I’m glad you’re along with us for this exciting ride into the future.

After celebrating 20 years with Prime Group, CFO Juan Galarraga banks on at least 20 more

October 31, 2019

It is said that long-term employees reflect a stable work environment and a great degree of employee satisfaction.

But for Juan Andres Galarraga, Chief Financial Officer of Prime Group Holdings, it’s not just a matter of being happy on the job, working here has become an extension of his family.

Galarraga celebrated his 20th anniversary Oct. 12, in good company, with Prime Group executives and management, sharing stories of the “good old days.” After all, he was just 20 years old when he joined this promising start-up in a tight little office in Quito focusing on the flower trade.

Right in line after the company’s first two employees, founders Roger Paredes and Omar Zambrano, Galarraga got onboard in October of 1999 for the ride of a lifetime, quite literally. Along the way, through the ups and downs of business, they also became great friends.

Family Affair
“But it goes further with me. Over the years, Roger and Omar not only became close friends, they became like a family. And I am so grateful to be a part of it all.”

As a result, Galarraga carries the title “Employee Number 3” – a designation he proudly touts to this day, and plans to hold onto for at least another 20 years.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” he says. “Amazing work and the reassuring feeling of family.

From his long-time perspective, Galarraga sees how most employees also have a great sense of camaraderie, of being part of something big and exciting – as the company expands across the globe with new services and products.

“Their ongoing passion and commitment to this company, something I have witnessed firsthand in Roger and Omar for years, makes a big impression on the employee group every day,” he added.

For Galarraga’s part, he brings great passion to the job, as well. “Don’t get me wrong, I have total commitment to this company, one that comes from dedication to the field of finance – but mostly it’s out of loyalty to the partners.”

Humble Beginnings
Paredes says he normally would prepare remarks in advance of such an occasion, but because it was more a “family reunion” than a formal affair, he chose to speak directly from the heart.

Reflecting on Galarraga’s humble beginnings, he noted, “We were all just a bunch of very young men… But from the very beginning, through all the good times and tough times, to this very day, we remain grateful for the talent and contributions he brings to our company.”

Starting basically as a messenger, Galarraga signed on during college. And quite soon after, while the ink was still wet on his financial engineering diploma, he moved directly into working full time with their flower-trading venture, all the while taking on more and more responsibilities.

He was there for the launch of PrimeAir, the first of what would become four divisions of the Prime Group. By 2006, Galarraga and his wife transferred from Ecuador to the company’s headquarters in Miami in search of new opportunities, and began a family here.

“With Omar overseeing operations and Roger on the commercial side, my place has always been right in the middle, working directly with both of them, serving as a conduit – and smoothing communications when needed,” he said.

Looking Ahead
“It’s almost too much to fathom, but half of my life has been with this company,” Galarraga shared. “The opportunities they’ve given me are nothing short of amazing. And as the company grows, I also get to grow, both personally and professionally.”

In fact, just last month, Galarraga was appointed CFO for the entire Group, consisting of PrimeAir, Prime Air & Ocean Cargo, Prime Fresh Handling, and Prime Fresh Products.

In his new capacity, Galarraga will not only continue to ensure that all business processes are in place and functioning well, but he will now focus more on the bigger picture – financial strategies that will help Prime Group continue to grow and prosper well into the future.

Says Galarraga, “We work incredibly well together. They trust me entirely and I trust them also. It’s a perfect equation.”

Paredes agrees. “It is so very important to find someone you can totally trust – someone like Juan who fights for us as though it’s his own money. That’s a good thing… Congratulations, Juan!”

Prime Group Boosts Presence on European Stage

July 12, 2019

Prime Group’s sales team chalked up a long list of highly productive meetings and promising leads at last month’s Air Cargo Europe 2019, the world’s leading trade fair held in Munich for the air cargo and logistics industry.

While there, says Prime Group CEO Roger Paredes, they made it a point to not only buttress relations with current business partners Atlas Air and Emirates SkyCargo, but also to pursue key introductions with several additional cargo airlines. “Because at end of the day we are sharpening our focus on serving other carriers in untapped markets to and from South America.”

For years, Prime Group has had a significant presence at the major trade shows in North and South America, most notably, at Air Cargo Americas in Miami, because it is right in their back yard.

Comprised of four separate divisions, Prime Group is based in Doral, Fla., bordering Miami International Airport. The companies include Prime Air & Ocean Cargo, Prime Fresh Handling, Prime Fresh Products, and PrimeAir.

“As we continue to put greater emphasis on global expansion, it is vitally important that we make our name known among potential customers all across the world,” said Paredes.

Air Cargo Europe is an international exhibition with an accompanying high-profile conference offering opportunities for prominent industry representatives to discuss the latest trends and topics.

Reflecting the major growth of the cargo industry overall, this year’s show, June 4 to 7, saw a 10 percent increase in exhibitors (to 2,400), as well as a jump in visitors to the show – with more than 64,000 in attendance for 2019.

Top topics included status of the trade war between the USA and China, discussion of the “New Silk Road,” and how artificial intelligence will help the industry in the long term by making logistics chains more transparent and efficient.

Most impressive for the Prime Group team was the sharp increase in the number of Chinese attending the show, as Chinese firms are increasingly looking for cooperation partners in Europe. With Prime Group’s strong and growing presence in Amsterdam and multiple service connections to and from South America, this came as very good news. After all, sparking new growth in capacity between Europe and the Asia market is one of the company’s prime objectives – especially during peak seasons for fresh flowers and other perishables.

Despite the fact that current relations between the governments of the U.S. and China are not conducive at the moment, says Paredes, “We have to be open to options and think in the long term.”

With an exhibition covering 10 halls, the top 10 exhibitor countries after Germany were: Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, France, Poland, China, Austria, Spain, U.K., and the Czech Republic. New exhibitors this year included Fercam, Neutral Air Cargo, Hong Kong COSCO Shipping Lines, China Asia Shipping, and Yuxinou Logistics.

Paredes said there are significant benefits to participation in trade shows – and this show in particular allowed his team to check many boxes. First and foremost:
• The ability to effectively advertise their brand to thousands of vendors, prospective customers, and industry leaders;
• To see familiar faces and build upon existing relationships; and
• To generate high-quality leads and close sales.

“It’s also a great way to display our latest products and services, while keeping an eye on your competitors” he added.

“We’ll definitely be back, as Air Cargo Europe is the perfect networking platform thanks to its massive global appeal.”

Celebrating 18 Years of Prime Group Success

July 11, 2019

While flipping through some old photo albums in preparation for our company’s 18th anniversary this month, a great rush of nostalgia came over me. It was just so satisfying to look back at the myriad milestones we achieved over the years and the amazing growth we’ve experienced.

There we were in dozens of pictures with bright smiling faces accepting corporate awards, rolling out new services in new markets, working major trade shows… Some things never change.

But then again, some things change a lot – and I’m not just referring to how young I looked! As I sat there looking down memory lane, it suddenly hit me that all those faces looking back at me were on glossy color-photo paper pasted into a faux leather-bound book. That’s how we use to do it! Using a “technology” that is now considered totally out of date in today’s digital world.

Who could have foreseen the avalanche of impending advancements that would not only revolutionize how we capture and share images, but in the process, deal a deathblow to major corporate giants like Kodak and Polaroid. I am sure they wish they were better prepared for what was coming.

Lessons Learned
So, lessons learned. But also lessons applied – which is why I can say with great confidence that as we celebrate 18 years in business, I firmly believe Prime Group is extremely well positioned to survive the unknown unknowns. Because we have a strategy in place that keeps our companies open to all possibilities. We are not only nimble, but entirely deliberate in the way we are diversifying our business lines.

Who would have thought 18 years ago we would be here today using cutting-edge communications technology to track and monitor the status of thousands of pounds of fresh fish arriving at LAX and JFK, real-time, for a whole new base of customers. That’s what’s happening right now at Prime Fresh Products.

Who would have thought we’d have created a line of snack-foods, Tostones harvested and packaged in Ecuador for distribution among major retail supermarkets all across the U.S. That’s what is happening now at Prime Fresh Products.

Well Positioned
And all this upon a backdrop of aggressive sales and marketing efforts geared toward boosting awareness of the Prime Group brand in a way that will position us for long-term growth in new and emerging markets around the globe.

They say the only constant in business is change. With that in mind, we are continually monitoring our alignment with defined organizational challenges and objectives. We are also keenly aware that our business can be influenced by:

• Increased diversity and globalization in the workforce, customers, suppliers, and competitors;
• New technologies that have resulted in faster pace and larger scale;
• A more complex communications environment with more channels; and
• Changes in business situations and strategy.

So in 18 years, when I look back at our bright smiling faces, the moments, and milestones – stored on an antiquated USB drive – I will know that right there in the background, there were smart and strategic efforts taking place to ensure the long-term success of our company.

Thank you for being with us on this journey.

More than just another success story

May 28, 2019

Few things are as important as giving your mother the undivided love and attention she deserves.

That’s why I am so thankful that by the time Mother’s Day actually arrives each year, those of us in the flower industry have pretty much accomplished everything we need to do in advance of this important day, whereby allowing us to be truly present to honor the amazing women in our lives.

As the busiest time of year for PrimeAir and Prime Fresh Handling, the work we do starts well over a month prior to Mother’s Day – and I must say, the frenetic pace by which our people perform is nothing short of astounding. Night and day, right up to about a week before, they work tirelessly to ensure that your Mother’s Day bouquet makes the journey from farm to florist, fast and fresh, and into mom’s arms by that second Sunday in May.

No complaints though, because we love what we do – and it shows. From a revenue and reliability standpoint, the 2019 season may very well have been our healthiest season ever. Adding up the all the flights from Bogota and Quito we operated on behalf of our air-cargo clients, and the number of kilos we moved across our network, it was a banner year.

What’s more, not surprisingly, the level of satisfaction among our customers is also at an all-time high, as a result of zero problems with shipments, zero reported claims, and zero delays.

What’s it called when news keeps getting better, year after year? It’s called a successful business!

But this year, it’s more than just another good news story. That’s because even as our corporate footprint has significantly expanded over the past year, we were able to exceed expectations in service delivery and reliability even at our newly expanded facilities in Los Angeles, New York, and Amsterdam.

All across the board, we were well prepared for the high season, fully staffed with experts, and more than ready to manage the shipment of fresh flowers in a smooth, professional, and efficient fashion.

At Prime Group, everything keeps coming up roses!

~ CEO Roger Paredes

Prime Group Salutes Quito Airport

April 12, 2019

I recently came across a quote by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos that really resonated with me: “You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

With those few words, I realized he was describing the very thing that has forged our own company’s reputation since starting operations in Quito 18 years ago.

Prime Group knows how to do hard things well. Period.

In fact, we’ve mastered the handling of time-sensitive perishables and specialty cargo to such a degree that when someone in logistics thinks “Quito,” they instantly think “Prime Group.”

Our reputation for providing best-in-class service here is also why we’re the go-to GSSA for the biggest names in air cargo, like Atlas Air and Emirates SkyCargo.

And now we’re seeing a clear sign that success breeds success: the combination of top-quality airlines and Prime Group’s unmatched brand of service is playing a significant role in the success of the overall cargo operation at Quito airport.

At this year’s Air Cargo Excellence Awards (ACE), presented by Air Cargo World magazine, Mariscal Sucre International Airport was recognized with the prestigious Diamond Award.

The award considers the performance, facilities, and value delivered – through the eyes of freight forwarders, cargo agents, and third-party logistics providers. In all these areas, Quito has achieved the highest grades for excellence among airports handling under 400,000 tonnes annually.

To me, this affirms the notion that no matter where we operate, Prime Group companies continually excel, improve, and set new standards. Of course there are many factors that play a part in Quito’s excellence, but certainly we have left an indelible and positive mark on the overall operation – and continue to do so every day here.

So on behalf of our dedicated team of flight dispatchers, administrative and accounting agents, operations and traffic supervisors and agents, and sales representatives in Quito, we congratulate Mariscal Sucre International Airport on this well deserved honor.

And we humbly promise to continue to do our part to ensure that together we may celebrate this important honor year after year, long into the future.

Lastly, allow me also to congratulate one of our most important customers, Emirates SkyCargo, for winning the ACE Diamond Award as the top carrier for 2019 in the airline competition.

Well done, team!

Prime Planet Tostones are an odds-on favorite at Vegas snack show

March 19, 2019

Prime Fresh Products is taking its new and improved Prime Planet Tostones on the road – most recently to the ECRM Snack Food Show in Las Vegas, where it quickly became a big winner.

U.S.-based Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing Company, or ECRM for short, brings efficiencies to the buying and selling process by optimizing product assortments and enhancing supplier-buyer collaboration.The show at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Feb. 19 – 21, focused on presenting new snack items and promotional opportunities to buyers from across all retail channels.

It was here that Prime Planet, the tropical better-for-you snack line of Prime Fresh Products, had an opportunity to meet with big buyers such as CVS, Walgreens, BJ’S, 7-Eleven, Kmart, Burlington’s, and many others.

It was also here that the company’s crunchy green plantain chips became, in the parlance of the Las Vegas scene, an odds-on favorite.

According to Marcia Tipiana, Operations Coordinator for Doral-based Prime Fresh Products, the three-day conference netted meetings with more than 50 retailers.

“We made sure that those in attendance walked away with all the information they needed to make sound decisions on our product line. And in the case of Prime Planet Tostones, this strategy worked.”

 

Behind the Scenes

In the months leading up to this show, consumer response to Prime Planet Tostones at grocery stores in South Florida had gotten so strong that it became clear the time had come to expand product reach nationwide, beyond just the Latino market.

“But to do so, we had to change our packaging in a way that it would look more mainstream American. We also tinkered with the recipe by reducing sodium and making it more nutritious,” said Tipiana.

They also invested in the process of obtaining a wide range of special certifications in order to market the chips as Kosher, cooked in better oils, gluten free, and non-GMO.

With those exciting new changes in place it was time to head West, to talk with directly with national U.S. buyers in Las Vegas – and to realize they had a big winner on their hands.

“When it came down to it, buyers tended to like our chips more than other similar snacks at the show because they are heartier and more crunchy than standard plantain chips. Everyone was impressed,” she added.

 

Change is Good  

The strategic planning meeting with Prime Planet’s existing Publix rep during the show was especially promising. Up to this point, they were marketing and positioning Prime Planet Tostones solely in their stores’ ethnic food sections.

“But as soon as Publix recognized we changed the packaging and other key aspects of the product, they saw a clear and present need to move our Tostones into to the main snack aisle.”

This shift, she says, opens the door to a bigger base of Publix customers and distribution across their entire system, not just in Latino-centric South Florida markets.

More stores and higher visibility means increased volume. Change is good!

For sales and distribution to succeed elsewhere across the country, particularly in the Northern U.S. markets, the challenge will be to market the chips in a way to get consumers to try something they’ve never even heard of.

“But, we have found that once a new consumer digs into a bag of our Tostones, they absolutely love them,” she said. A marketing and advertising plan is now in the works to broaden the appeal of Prime Planet snacks across the board.

Another recent change with the product is the launch of new flavors. Today, the line includes the Original chip, Lime, Habanero, Yuca, Pinton, and Sweet Chili.

 

Prime Planet’s launch

Prime Fresh Products launched its better-for-you Tostones in 2019, to meet the growing trend among nutrition-conscious consumers who want to lead a wellness-oriented lifestyle.

“We are number one in quality and taste because our Tostones are processed naturally under the highest quality standards – and because they’re a delicious alternative to other typical snack chips”

Operations Coordinator Marcia Tipiana may be reached at 786-956-0080 or via opscoordinator@primefreshproducts.com. For general information, visit www.primeplanet.net

Prime Group is on the world stage with WCA membership

March 19, 2019

As a newly accepted member of the World Cargo Alliance, I am pleased to report Prime Group made its long-awaited debut at the annual WCA Global Conference in Singapore last month, alongside 2,800 other delegates from 100 countries.

With record-breaking attendance, it was our time to be there, to be seen, and to experience first-hand what it means to be a member of this prodigious organization – the most powerful network of independent freight forwarders with over 7,000 members in nearly 200 countries worldwide.

The journey to Singapore has been a long one – and not just because my business partner Omar Zambrano had to endure a 17-hour flight to get there. But because acceptance into this renowned alliance signifies a major step forward in the evolution of Prime Group.

Networking among thousands of contacts under one roof is definitely a big plus. In fact, they say more than 75,000 face-to-face meetings between WCA participants took place at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center.

But the overarching benefit is the ability for Prime Group to now begin conducting business on behalf of our customers, virtually anywhere in the world on-demand, in partnership with any of the thousands of pre-qualified WCA member companies – and with complete security and peace of mind.

Traditionally, growing a company of our size can be a challenge, due to the difficulty in attracting large-scale customers like Toyota, Mercedes Benz, and Walmart that typically work only with the world’s biggest names in the global logistics.

Being in the WCA, however, immediately enhances our company profile by putting us in a league with these big players in the business. Now we can effectively meet the needs of any major multinational customer with great assurance by tapping into the experience and professional know-how of our fellow WCA members. We are everywhere!

The journey actually started about 18 months ago when we realized that in order to compete for “next-level” customers, we had to get prepared. The big commercial push by PrimeAir and Prime Air & Ocean Cargo in particular, started by conducting a head-to-toe review and realignment of our operations – all geared toward changing the mind-set of the entire company.

The exciting steps we took to get here – expanding our base of operations, increasing warehousing and office facilities, instituting new processes to make us more agile and efficient, and re-addressing staffing levels and responsibilities – are now allowing us to expand our customer base all across the globe.

Improving our corporate fitness has been a massive endeavor to say the least – and now we’re ready to take on the world, so to speak.

Joining WCA is just one outward sign of our long-term commitment to empower Prime Group to better serve our customers today and well into the future.

It’s an exciting time in the evolution of Prime Group. We’re glad to have you with us.