Don Limón launches global recruitment drive for innovative business model
HAMBURG, GERMANY – 24 SEPTEMBER 2020 – Don Limón – the international fresh fruit producer-packer-importer – is thrilled to announce the launch of a recruitment campaign to find creative and ambitious professionals who wish to become the next ‘Don’ traders working within the company’s innovative, global platform.
Don Limón is calling on dynamic individuals with the ambition to develop small, commercial fruit sourcing and distribution offices worldwide to join its culturally diverse team. Eager to build on its reputation for being an employee-first business, the company is searching for local produce industry experts or successful traders who thrive off the spirit of cooperation.
Andreas Schindler, the original ‘Don’, CEO and Co-Founder of Don Limón, shares the objective: “Our business model is to create business models, and we wish to evolve the Don Limón platform. We are looking for exciting new talent with whom we can build a relationship of trust and respect to establish more business units worldwide. We can provide a platform for financing, administration and risk management, plus we are able to pass on valuable knowledge and experience to our employees.”
Schindler expands: “The fruit business is a people business. We want to meet interesting, passionate, intelligent, and committed people with an entrepreneurial spirit from all areas of the produce industry who are intrigued by our business model, and can bring a different perspective to the table. Anyone who would like to partner with Don Limón, run their own office, or join our existing team, please call me to discuss! I would love to hear your ideas.”
Don Limón’s motto is to ‘Think Global, Act Local’. As such, the group operates multiple business units worldwide, each run by three to four professionals. Each unit independently manages specific products or regions, empowered by native speakers with local market knowledge and cultural appreciation. By having autonomous local offices, the business can react quickly to changing circumstances, and, ultimately, survive.
Schindler explains: “The more a company is able to think small, the more likely it will survive. Simply operating a traditional, stand-alone global company makes your business too fragile. To be successful, the management system must be decentralised, including the decision making, and reformed into a ‘bottom-up’ structure. The result is strong, small business units that have the commercial freedom to develop organically as they see fit.”
Schindler continues: “Business is like the climate; the system is always changing. It’s important to adopt new management strategies to strengthen your corporate ecosystem where employees can grow. Managing complexity and unpredicted shocks is crucial for success. After experiencing 20% growth year-on-year since 2007, I’m not afraid to admit that in 2018/19 we had a difficult year when our business retracted. We realised the vulnerabilities of our system, and took the opportunity to fine tune our set-up. I am delighted to reveal that our growth is now accelerating again as a result. Life is a learning curve!”
Don Limón is becoming more global every day. Slowly but surely, for the last 13 years Don Limón has begun to create a truly international sourcing and distribution platform. After launching as an international lime importer, the group realised the importance of diversification. Since then, Don Limón has become specialised in citrus, table grapes and sweet potatoes.
Already, Don Limón has established several independent sourcing and distribution offices worldwide. The first was opened in the USA during 2010, followed by Guatemala, India, and South Africa. The next unit will open in Egypt, and China is on the radar. Beyond that, Don Limón’s future geographical reach will depend on the new recruitment drive.
Schindler reveals: “Our next office could be in the UK, France, Poland, Lithuania or even Brazil – we are wide open to suggestions!”
ABOUT DON LIMON
Don Limón was established in 2007 by Andreas Schindler and his brother Thomas. The duo are the third generation of a fresh produce family, with their grandfather having established a mushroom business called Pilz Schindler, in Hamburg, Germany, in 1952. Today, Don Limón specialises in the production, packing and export of high quality limes, citrus, table grapes and sweet potatoes from across the world. The group also sources exotics, tropicals, and pomegranates. www.don-limon.de
