Crossing Borders: The Case Of Mexican Tomatoes

Abstract

The case involves distributors who import Mexican produce into the United States. To-Mex faces several problems. First, U.S. homeland security is at an all time high and is likely to continue growing tighter. The potential for delays at customs is significant. Second, Mexican produce has image issues in the U.S. market. Some American consumers have the perception that Mexican produce may not be safe to eat. Changing those perceptions is critical. The third issue relates to product strategies, including a possible move from predominantly field grown tomatoes to greenhouse operations, possible development of consumer brands for produce, and the potential effects of country of origin labeling on consumer produce preferences.