Agrícola Santa Isabel de Cato S.A. (ASICSA) enjoys a splendid isolated setting in Southern Chile with an exceptional growing climate and Mt. Chillán as a striking backdrop. With an exciting mix of apple varieties including Royal Galas, Braeburns, Granny Smith, and Fujis, it became one of the first apple orchards in the country to establish a successful organic program in 1997.

The farm's former owner, don Jaime Guilisasti Tagle, teamed up with CF Fresh in the early days to begin the transition to organic program. Under the technical leadership of CF Fresh's grower representative, Bill Denevan, a pear and apple grower from Santa Cruz, California, with over 35 years of experience in organic fruit production, the orchard has produced excellent quality fruit year after year.

Today, Nicholas Simian (above, at left), an energetic Chilean-American agronomist, manages the day-to-day operations of the farm with the help of a committed team of workers. Many of them have lived in the area since they were born and certainly are passionate about the trees and the land… and soccer. On Sundays the ASICSA workers and their families join teams from other local orchards for exciting matches on the orchard's soccer field. It is under this healthy and community oriented working environment that our ASICSA organic apples are grown.

We thank the entire ASICSA team for their hard labor and commitment to producing tasty organic apples. It has been their courage and dedication that has enabled us to overcome the many challenges that come with growing organic apples in Southern Chile. We hope that this groundbreaking organic orchard continues on its path of growth and prosperity.