Aralia, Cat Palm and coffee. This is what Diego's day looks like. And no, he doesn't just drink the coffee, he grows it!

Diego is the operations and project manager at Plantex. We contacted him and asked him all about this Costa Rican supplier.

He gave us more information about the company and the daily operations of the plantation and packing station. Read all about supplier Plantex in our interview.

1. Can you tell us more about the company?

Plantex is traditionally a producer/exporter of cut greens. Initially focused on the production of Leather Ferns, the company has evolved with the market.

Now we produce Aralia as the main product and Cat Palm in some small quantities. Today, Plantex focuses mainly on the production of Aralia and has also become a well-known producer of Specialty coffee.

2. What does your company stand for?

Ambassadors of hard work, high quality, fair trade and precision agriculture.

3. How long have you been supplying the WBE Group?

9 years and counting.

4. What products do you supply to the WBE Group?

Aralia & Cat Palm

5. What do you think are the benefits of the WBE Group?

The WBE Group has good business relations with its suppliers, based on clear and direct communication. WBE has great knowledge of market behavior and this allows us to plan ahead very efficiently. And we, as a supplier, feel great economic support from the WBE Group. Payments are always on time and good planning ensures that everything runs smoothly.

6. What is your role within the company?

I, Diego Berrocal (son), am the Operations & Project Manager at the cutting greens plantation. I also work as the General Manager on the company's coffee farm and coffee production.

7. What does your day look like?

Because we have many different tasks and duties to fulfill, my days are never exactly the same.

But in a short version, I could say that I go daily to the plantations (1 hour or more away from my home). There I walk the plantation and check the quality. I try to do this as often as possible and myself, because we have a philosophy of "Quality in the Field."

Once the plantation tour is over, I do the office work that is pending. I am responsible for buying all products going to the plantation, also some marketing tasks, R&D on new products and tools, maintenance and operation of irrigation systems, operation of packing plants, quality control and task planning for the whole operation.

Once all these tasks have been handled or are pending, it is already usually late in the day. I can use the rest of the day for errands and/or meetings I have scheduled.

8. Do you have any tips/tricks for your product?

We recommend cutting the first inch off the stem before placing in a vase (with water, of course), changing the water twice a week. We have also seen that Aralia and other cut greens last much longer if they are not directly exposed to sunlight.

Do you have a whole bunch of Aralia? Then put them together in a vase and use them as the main item; this looks very nice and fresh!