Family-owned Grupo Jorge Schmidt is leading the Chilean fruit industry with record production and a focus on tech and community

Por Macarena Bravo | Lee esta noticia en español

In an agricultural landscape where numbers often speak for themselves, there are companies that, far from traditional marketing, have built their leadership based on volume, efficiency, and sustainability. 

This is the case of Grupo Jorge Schmidt, a Chilean family-owned business focused on doing things well from the start. Since its inception, the company has established itself as one of the leading producers of sweet citrus and avocados in the Andean country.

Currently, the company processes over 1.1 tons of mandarins daily, making their Catemu facilities an hour away from the Chilean capital, one of the largest citrus plants in Latin America. And this is just one of the figures reflecting the magnitude of the work carried out by the company, which has already produced nearly 42,000 tons of mandarins so far this year.

“The volume of mandarins we handle today exceeds the industry benchmark," says Pablo Aranda, General Manager at Grupo Jorge Schmidt. 

The company’s packing houses operate with a double processing shift, he added, aiming to operate with a Formula 1 mentality, "with complete trackability, maximum efficiency.” 

Origins and the long-term Schmidt vision

To understand the company's foundation, FreshFruitPortal.com spoke with Camila Schmidt. She recalls her father arrived in Chile from Argentina without significant resources and made his way by renting land and developing long-term projects when no one was betting on that model.

In 1990, the patriarch founded Jorge Schmidt y Compañía Ltda. Four years later, he established the first Hass avocado plantation for the company, and in 2005, he followed suit with the first W. Murcott mandarin plantation. These decisions laid the foundation of a business that today positions the company as a benchmark in the Chilean fruit industry.

But the story didn't end there, as the company continued to expand. First, with the opening of its first avocado packing house in the Desarrollo Agrario (Dasa Plant) farm in 2012, followed by the company’s second mandarin packing house in Catemu. In 2018, Jorge Schmidt Exports was born, and in 2019, the family added what is now regarded as the crown jewel in Chilean fruit to its portfolio: cherries.

An integrated and professionalized model built around family

With a structure marked by the presence of the founding family from its very beginning, Grupo Jorge Schmidt now counts seven Schmidt siblings among its ranks. 

They all joined the family business of their own accord and at their own time, their sister says, and today they hold strategic roles in areas such as production, national and international marketing, human resources, sustainability, and finance.

"The countryside is a trade and has been part of our lives since childhood,” Camila explains. “We have a deep connection with what we do, and today our children are also part of this family passion. Many times they accompany us to work, just as we did when we were little with dad."

Sustainability and social commitment from day one

Although the word “sustainability” seems to have become fashionable in recent years, Camila Schmidt notes that from the outset, the company has consistently prioritized the responsible use of resources, its relationship with neighboring communities, and the well-being of its collaborators.

"We have always promoted actions that reflect this commitment,” she says. “For example, implementing biological corridors, protecting our flora and fauna, and innovating with in-line box assembly, among others.” 

Camila explains that much of this work has been rather silent, with their focus placed on quality and “doing things right”. However, the company is gradually shifting this approach and is now giving this work greater visibility.

The company also manages one of the largest beekeeping operations in Chile’s Central Zone, with nearly 20,000 active beehives, promoting both production and the conservation of the ecosystem.

Currently, Grupo Jorge Schmidt is one of the major employers in the area, providing jobs for over 3,000 people during peak season. For many of them, the company has provided a source of stability and growth opportunities for their families. At the Catemu plant, numerous individuals have progressed from fruit pickers to highly specialized positions. 

"That generates real development within communities," Aranda commented.

Social commitment has been one of the fundamental pillars of its founder, Jorge Schmidt. This is demonstrated by the support for the technical and professional training of the company’s employees, the donation of fruit to local NGO Red de Alimentos, and the creation of support programs, such as the SÚMATE Fund, which finances projects of social organizations in the areas of Llay Llay, Catemu, and Panquehue in Chile.

Future outlook

Grupo Jorge Schmidt has not only consolidated its position as a leading producer but also does so with a vision for the future. Its facilities are oversized and designed to accommodate projected growth, while its fields benefit from an agricultural design focused on efficiency and sustainability.

The company has a long-term business vision, reinvesting profits and maintaining a technological approach to cultivation and distribution that is unprecedented for the local industry. 

Aranda explains that by 2028, Grupo Jorge Schmidt plans to have a third processing plant exclusively dedicated to cherries. The chosen location is a non-traditional area for this crop: the Valparaíso Region in Chile's central region, where the group already has over 1,200 acres planted.

The company has earned a reputation in the industry for its advanced technological approach. Its digital harvest control system enables tracking each fruit from harvest to shipment, as well as quality controls in-field and during post-harvest and packing processing. Likewise, plants are equipped with machinery powered by artificial intelligence, which allows efficient fruit selection and real-time parameter adjustments to reflect the needs and preferences of different markets.

This level of control enables Grupo Jorge Schmidt to consistently offer high-quality products, particularly in the case of avocados, which require precise ripeness for international markets.

Additionally, the company has multispectral equipment for precision agriculture and surveillance drones with thermal cameras to maintain field security: "The first 'guard' to arrive is the drone," says Aranda.

But despite the plans and cutting-edge technology that strengthen it as a producer and exporter, Grupo Jorge Schmidt maintains a discreet but ambitious profile.

"We want to continue growing, but with purpose. It's not just about exporting more, but about doing it better. That means taking care of the land, the people, and also our neighbors," concludes Aranda.