During the 1970s and 1980s, farmers like George Chiala found themselves in the midst of a new era in agriculture; one that bestowed a whole new set of challenges.
Not only was Chiala’s mind occupied with ensuring there was enough water to irrigate fields and the hope that the volatilities of both Mother Nature and fresh market demands alike would be kind, but there was something knew to consider: the emerging international produce market. Globalization, the new buzz word at the time, was putting traditional geographic markets to the test. Chiala, like many domestic farmers, was experiencing first-hand the influences of varying international supplies and volatile exchange rates. For the first time, crop successes and yields across the border, thousands of miles away, meant the difference between a profit or loss in the domestic arena.
Chiala knew that if he was to grow a sustainable business in such an evolving international climate, that he needed to find a way to mitigate some of the inherent risks in his present business. To reduce some of the fresh market risk and also compete globally, Chiala began growing multiple crops with varying planting and harvesting seasons, which afforded him considerable success. But Chiala did not stop there.
Ever since Chiala began farming in 1973, one aspect of the business was always unsettling to him: the fact that harvest after harvest, such a high yield of perfectly nutritious, quality fruits and vegetables could not be sent to the fresh market just because they did not look perfect. In the face of the emerging global agricultural market, and Chiala’s unrelenting goal to grow a sustainable business, his presentiment triggored the real-world question: how could he put 100% of the quality output to good use? Not only was it difficult for Chiala to see perfectly good food go to waste, but finding a solution to the problem could ensure sustainability for he and his family. When asked about that challenge, Chiala remarked with a smile: "By being so dependent on the unstable fresh market, how would I ever be able to send four children to college?"
The answer was clear to him: he needed to broaden his supply chain by creating alternate avenues for his output in addition to the fresh market. Building a value-added vegetable processing plant was soon at the forefront of Chiala’s vision; something that proved easier said than done.
Most food equipment manufacturers at the time catered almost exclusively to large commodity markets such as soybeans and corn; therefore, in order for Chiala to obtain value-added processing equipment for his smaller niche markets, namely garlic and peppers, he knew his best bet would be to design the equipment himself. Chiala approached this challenge by first establishing parameters that focused on preserving flavor, preserving color, and maintaining safety.
Once those parameters were defined, Chiala arguably made one of the boldest, most innovative moves of his career. He designed and built his very first processing plant. And by the mid 1980’s, Chiala’s goal became a reality: he was putting 100% of his quality output to good use, and in so doing, had grown a multi-tiered suppy chain, and a solid, sustainable business. Today, that concept of 100% use resonates even more loadly because Chiala is now developing technologies to generate clean power from green waste.
George Chiala Farms, Inc. now has a state-of-the-art processing facility, and the machinary that Chiala originally built has been retired to an area known throughout the company as "The Boneyard." But "The Boneyard" represents so much more than it’s name implies. It is a souvenir of one man’s unrelenting hard work and dedication to fulfilling a dream. Just ask any employee at George Chiala Farms about "The Boneyard," and you will inevitably see a smile on their face, and a trace of nostalgia in their eyes.
For Chiala, innovation was not just a a goal, but a way of life; a method he has engrained in his two sons as they navigate the new challenges to come.