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NatureSweet, initially known as Desert Glory, was a vision brought to life by a group of Israeli investors in Texas in 1990. Their original intent wasn’t to grow tomatoes, but to showcase new greenhouse technology to potential buyers. However, as the agricultural industry struggled to embrace this capital-intensive technology the team decided to prove its effectiveness by growing tomatoes themselves.
In the early 2000s, Silver Ventures invested in the company. We didn’t just invest in a tomato-growing company; we believed in revolutionizing the industry. Bryant Ambelang stepped into the role of CEO in 2009. His leadership was pivotal in transforming the business into a vertically integrated model that treated farming like a manufacturing process.
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With Bryant at the helm, NatureSweet honed in on not just growing tomatoes, but branding them—creating something that consumers could identify with and demand by name. They introduced a line of branded tomatoes that took the market by storm, Cherubs, a signature product that became the top-selling small tomato brand in the U.S. due to its superior taste and quality.
But what truly set NatureSweet apart isn’t just the products. From the very beginning, we knew that our workforce was our most valuable asset. In the early years, NatureSweet faced challenges with high employee turnover and inefficiencies. However, inspired by Bryant’s vision, NatureSweet became a pioneer in transforming how agricultural workers were treated. Together they developed a series of innovative compensation models that empowered workers, leading to increased productivity and reducing costly turnover. One of the most impactful changes was the investment in workforce well-being – introducing improved working conditions, including better dining and bathroom facilities. We also adopted a compensation strategy that allowed workers to earn wages significantly above the industry average, giving them the opportunity to improve their families’ lives.
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By the mid-2000s, NatureSweet’s operations expanded significantly into Mexico, allowing us to benefit from ideal growing conditions while also building a distinctive company culture. In Mexico, our workforce was no longer just “laborers”; they were now associates, taking pride in their work, contributing to the company’s success, and in turn, sharing in that success.
Our unique model extended beyond just compensation. We pioneered “Self-Liberated Teams” (SLTs), where teams of workers were empowered to make decisions and manage their greenhouses. This shift created a strong sense of ownership among the workers, driving productivity and innovation.
Through these initiatives, NatureSweet not only achieved financial success—growing to over $329 million in sales in 2016—but also transformed lives. We demonstrated that with the right approach, even in an industry as traditionally undervalued as agriculture, you can empower people and elevate their standards of living.
Looking back, NatureSweet’s journey is a testament to the power of aligning purpose with business strategy. The company became more than just a tomato grower; it became a leader in transforming the agricultural workforce. We proved that by putting people first, both profits and social impact could thrive in harmony.
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