Today we’d like to introduce you to Roberto Fantini.
Hi Roberto, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I began my career in Mexico, managing a ranch and preparing it for U.S. export certification. Those early years taught me what agriculture actually demands: precision, quality, compliance and respect for the work behind every box that leaves the field.
Before produce, my path was aimed in a very different direction. I trained to become a diplomat, studied law in Mexico and Europe, learned five languages and completed a master’s degree in international and European law. An internship at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C. placed me in the Secretary General’s office, and at the time my future felt defined. I reached the final stage of the national diplomatic selection exam. Out of 1,300 applicants, seven were chosen, and I was not among them.
At first, it felt like failure. In time, though, I realized it was redirection. The door I worked years to open closed, and another appeared: agriculture, logistics and eventually produce distribution. What I thought was an ending became the beginning of everything.
My work in Mexico led me to McAllen, Texas, where I oversaw logistics, quality control and administrative operations for a U.S. importer. Seeing the full cross-border supply chain made something clear. There was space for a company that operated with transparency, alignment and real partnership between growers and buyers. That realization planted the first seed of what would become First Produce.
The business began with a single warehouse and cold storage services. Growth was not instant; it was earned through trust, operational consistency and learning from every mistake. Over nine years, that foundation expanded into avocado distribution and nationwide retail supply. A structure built patiently, deliberately and from the ground up.
Outside of business, endurance sports shape me as much as entrepreneurship. Seven full Ironman races, seventeen 70.3 events and two World Championship appearances have taught discipline, resilience and the power of showing up again and again. The same principles fuel how I lead, build and think long term.
I am also a husband and father to Isabella, and soon to Massimo in January 2026. Family changed my ambition. It gave purpose to the effort, weight to responsibility and meaning to success. What we are building is more than a company; it is a legacy that will outlive me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. My start in the U.S. was as an employee, learning the industry from the inside: operations, logistics, quality control and the reality of cross-border produce movement. Over time, it became clear that growth had a ceiling where I was. The only way forward was to take a risk and build something of my own. Leaving the security of a stable job without contacts, connections or a network in this country remains one of the hardest decisions of my career. The path required learning how to do business in the U.S. from zero, building trust, structuring a company, operating at scale and meeting a market that does not forgive inconsistency.
Inexperience meant mistakes, and there were many. Some ventures failed, others never got off the ground. They say a business truly consolidates after five years, and those first five for me were exactly that: survival, experimentation and growth through trial, error and the willingness to start again when necessary.
Success has been shaped as much by failures as by wins. Challenges pushed me to think sharper, build stronger and develop the resilience that defines my work today. Even now, there is learning every day. Mistakes still happen. That is the rhythm of entrepreneurship, progress built on iteration, humility and continuous refinement.
Growth never ends.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
First Produce is a cross-border company that connects Mexican growers with retailers and wholesalers across the United States. While we are now known for our Mexican avocado distribution, our foundation was built through nearly a decade of operating cold storage and logistics. A significant volume of berries entering the U.S. from Mexico for customers supplying Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, H-E-B and others has passed through our warehouse in Texas. We have been a quiet but essential part of the national supply chain, ensuring that highly perishable fruit arrives in the best possible condition. It is a responsibility we take immense pride in.
The same operational discipline, precision and commitment to freshness now drive our avocado program. Every shipment reflects the standards refined over years of servicing top retailers: clean processes, strict quality control and a deep respect for the product from orchard to final destination. Our goal is simple, to make sure that what reaches a family’s table is as fresh and high quality as possible.
What truly sets us apart is our philosophy. Our company operates under the motto Serve to Succeed. We are here to serve our growers, to serve our customers and to act as a reliable bridge between both sides of the border. Success, for us, comes from elevating everyone in the chain, delivering transparency, consistency and honest work, load after load.
Whether handling berries, avocados or future commodities, our mission remains the same, to raise the standard of produce distribution through discipline, integrity and partnership.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
My perspective on risk is simple and unwavering. Growth requires stepping into the unknown with clarity, discipline and faith. Being bold does not mean being fearless. Fear exists, but it is not allowed to lead. The decision to move forward remains.
Every defining moment in my trajectory reflects that belief. Leaving a stable job to build a business from scratch in a new country, signing the lease on a warehouse with no guarantee it would fill, opening new divisions without certainty of demand. None of these decisions were impulsive. They were grounded in preparation, guided by vision and supported by faith in a long term outcome that was not yet visible.
Risk, to me, is not a gamble. It is commitment. It is the willingness to act before every variable is known, trusting strategy, work ethic and the purpose behind the effort. Progress lives outside comfort. Growth belongs to those who move first. Vision, discipline and faith have been the engines that continue to push this company forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.firstproduce.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstproduce/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/First-Produce-61574220993486/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-produce-llc/
Image Credits
Finisher photo at the Ironman World Championship 2022
Warehouse picture
First Produce sales team at International Fresh Produce Association show 2025
An avocado with our PLU sticker
