Sponsored content by San Miguel Arcángel S.A.C.
For many years, Carmen Cobeñas Nilupu, 43 years old, single mother and community leader, worked as a farm laborer in various companies in the district of La Matanza, province of Morropón, Piura. They were temporary jobs that ended with the harvest of fruits or vegetables. “It wasn’t stable work, it was seasonal,” she says as we walk toward her house, located on the outskirts of La Matanza.
However, five years ago, Carmen’s life began to change when she joined Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel, one of the country’s leading organic banana exporters. Now Cobeñas not only has a stable job but also a voice in the future of her community. Thanks to the Fair Trade program promoted by the agro-export company, she has managed to improve her standard of living.
A few kilometers away, 34-year-old Walter Pacherres Mendoza also found a new path. After spending seven years away from his hometown, working as a forklift operator in Lima, he returned to La Matanza. The opportunity came at Fundo Los Ángeles, where—as he puts it—he realized that the future was not only in the land but also in the people. “I’ve learned many things,” he says of his experience with organic bananas, “but the most important is that here the future of the workers is in our own hands, thanks to the company’s support.”
Fair Trade: how one extra dollar transforms lives
The stories of Walter and Carmen are testimonies to the tangible impact of the Fair Trade program, a global initiative that goes far beyond a simple label on a package. It is a business model designed to empower farmers and workers worldwide, putting in their hands the tools for the sustainable development of their own communities.
The principle of Fair Trade is simple: when a consumer buys a certified product, an additional premium is paid directly to the workers. In the case of Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel, in 2023 it certified its farms for the U.S. market under Fair Trade, explains Jenny Díaz, the company’s co-founder. Now, for every box of organic bananas exported, a community development fund is generated. This is not a corporate charity program but a fund self-managed by a committee of workers who democratically vote on which projects to invest the money in within their communities.
José Ferreira, founder of Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel, explains how the model works: “The market provides one dollar for every exported box, money that goes to the workers’ association. We have an association of San Miguel Arcángel employees, and they decide in assembly how to invest that money,” he says from his office in Villa Vicús, Morropón province, a thriving agricultural hub in northern Peru.
In regular assemblies, workers meet to identify the most urgent needs of their communities. This is where daily struggles become solutions. The first major initiative they chose to pursue was housing improvement, a fundamental step to raise their quality of life.
Fair Trade funds enabled a housing improvement program that has benefited dozens of families in Chulucanas and Morropón. For example, Walter Pacherres used his share to build a proper kitchen in his home, a change he says improved his family’s quality of life and that of his fellow workers. “It’s a benefit that supports us organic banana workers, and in my particular case, my entire family, because now they can enjoy a decent kitchen,” he says from his home in La Matanza.
Fair Trade funds enabled a housing improvement program that has benefited dozens of families in Chulucanas and Morropón.
For Carmen Cobeñas, a single mother, the impact has been even deeper. Thanks to the program, she was able to install new floors and build a bathroom in her home. “Having a proper bathroom and roof has been a significant change for me and my three daughters. Before, I only had a latrine,” she recalls. These housing projects have not only brought safety and dignity but also transformed the homes and lives of workers and their families.
More than 100 workers have benefited from the Fair Trade program of Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel. In Villa Vicús, Chulucanas, Henry Valverde Cruz was able to put down new flooring in his house, while Sandro Albines Jara got a proper roof. Over 120 workers also received corrugated roofing sheets in 2023, after heavy rains from the Yaku phenomenon damaged their homes.
Educating to empower
Housing improvements are not the only projects driven by Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel. The company has also invested in transforming lives through knowledge and education. Thanks to an agreement with a school in Vicús, classrooms are used on weekends so employees can complete their high school studies. This year, 13 workers will graduate.
Carmen is among these students, and for her, this opportunity is invaluable. “I feel happy to work and study to improve the future of my family and my three daughters,” she says during a break from work. Her story is a reminder that education is not a luxury but a tool for dignity and autonomy.
Cleosmilda Valverde, another beneficiary, confirms this: “I had the chance to join Fair Trade and it is supporting me with the studies they are offering. The teacher teaches us values, how to respect older people, all adults, and to show respect to everyone without offending anyone,” she says at Fundo Los Ángeles.
Growing with its workers
The story of Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel is part of a broader vision, that of Grupo Los Ángeles, a conglomerate of three agro-export companies that bet on their people to build a sustainable future. José Ferreira, who also leads Grupo Los Ángeles, has been a key driver of this approach. He recalls that the first project financed by Fair Trade coincided with the Yaku phenomenon, when heavy rains severely damaged workers’ homes.
“So the first thing we decided was to provide all employees with corrugated metal roofing for their homes, and everyone benefited,” he explains from his office in Villa Vicús. This quick response to a basic need demonstrated the group’s commitment to the well-being of its people. Today, the group exports organic bananas to markets in Europe, Asia, the United States, and Canada.
Beyond direct benefits, Grupo Los Ángeles also focuses on the environment. One major initiative is the reforestation of the Piura River through the “Plant a Tree” program. This project seeks to create a healthier ecosystem for future generations, a commitment that became even more evident after the 2017 El Niño floods devastated cropland.
According to Jacinta Alvarado Carreño, manager of Fundo Los Ángeles, “Fundo Los Ángeles, thinking of the environment, biodiversity, and flora, decided to reforest this entire area.” About 200 guaba trees, 50 tamarind trees, and other species have been planted to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
In the words of founder José Ferreira: “At Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel, we understand that improving a house means improving a life. Moreover, we believe that our true wealth is not in the bananas we export but in the people who work the land and make it possible for each fruit to reach different corners of the world.” This philosophy drives Grupo Los Ángeles to cultivate not only high-quality products but also opportunities, well-being, and above all, hope.
Since its founding in 2022, Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel has shown that its business vision extends beyond exports. The company has worked tirelessly to obtain international certifications such as Fair Trade, JAS, USDA Organic, and Global G.A.P., which validate not only the quality of its bananas but also its commitment to sustainable and ethical farming practices.
In a sector as competitive as agro-exports, Agronegocios San Miguel Arcángel, under the umbrella of Grupo Los Ángeles, has found in Fair Trade a model that proves business success can go hand in hand with human development. Its story is a testament to how a vision centered on community well-being can generate a positive and lasting social impact in the heart of northern Peru.
Sponsored content by San Miguel Arcángel S.A.C.
