Every marvelous story starts with a road that seems very odd until you connect the dots that makes every step come to play with perfect sense. Today, we want you to know how this journey transformed TVT Trade Brands into what it is today.
It all began when founder, Rubert Velasquez, started a professional transition from the fresh cut flowers industry into the food industry. Working during this stage in logistics and supply chain management, he created connections with several segments around Europe that allowed him to set his sights on the gourmet food industry, specifically related to olive oil and balsamic vinegar companies.
As a result, he was introduced to the specialty food industry, mostly to a particular way of living: a healthy lifestyle based on gourmet and specialty food ingredients. The idea initially evolved into a broker format service to introduce selected branded products from several origins and manufacturers worldwide. He started working with recognized brands and unique products from Italy, Spain, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia.
And right then, he was enlightened! A revolutionary idea of establishing a turnkey solution with a social impact: an import and distribution company for specialty ingredients from all corners of the world, with a robust supply chain management, a strict compliance standard, and a clear sense of social responsibility and commitment. And who could be a better partner to this project than his brothers? That is how TVT (The Velasquez Team) was born, between the family bonds that already made them a team for life.
Their first goal was to expose their gourmet products within their retail network and participate in several international business fairs and trade shows dedicated to the specialty and healthy oriented foods industry, resulting in relationships with elite brands and significant customers and suppliers all around the world.
A list of spices, hard to get and even harder to pronounce, landed in the hands of Rubert, and that’s how the company made its entry into the world of spices, importing items as unique as exotic chili peppers, specialty salts, saffron, truffle powder, and vanilla, among many others. Major retail chains and large, medium, and small size food manufacturers were part of the first round of customers. They started using these high-end and singular products for their own spice blends, private labels, extracts, back of house (kitchen), and foodservice operations.
It was then just a matter of time for TVT to expand its possibilities and enter superfoods and the healthy oriented ingredients market. A new opportunity was opened in 2014 with the introduction of instant quinoa to the portfolio, and by 2015 new avenues were found with items like açai from Brazil, maca and cacao powders from Peru, canary seeds from Mexico, beetroot powder from Egypt, ginger and turmeric from India, and the distinguished baobab powder from South Africa. The company grabbed the chance to diversify based on the fantastic market response for these items.
The years after that, TVT projected its presence within several of the main domestic trade shows of the industry, participating as an exhibitor in Fancy Food Show, Expo West, Supply Side, and International fairs as Anuga, SIAL, Biofach, Cibus, and was involved as an honored guest in specialized buying showrooms in Hawaii, Dominican Republic, Italy, Germany, Dubai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia, and Australia, with some being dedicated to more specific supply markets and social projects.
By 2018, the company expanded its reach to more traditional spices and volume orders and secured production in certain critical regions of the world. In 2019 contract requirements started to increase from highly specialized clients, when supply for items like vanilla was falling short worldwide.
By 2020, every step in the company was stable and robust. The operation and processes were fully established, and the company took the opportunity to strengthen and grow the team in all areas and settled physical infrastructure to comply with the most demanding quality standards and regulations, as well as to reinforce operations and logistics management procedures to assure excellence at every stage of the process.
TVT is nowadays a great family and a synonym of excellent standards. Although these last months have been challenging times for the world, it has been a stage of tireless teamwork and new growth opportunities based on changing consumer habits, an innovative portfolio, and a unique supply chain service, supported by an experienced team of enthusiastic and committed professionals with one common goal and a clear vision.
We at TVT will keep working every day to continue finding answers represented in natural, organic, wild gifts from the earth, connect them to our modern world and widely expose their unmeasurable benefits into our lifestyles, while understanding that our commitment to quality also contributes to improving the quality of lifestyle within those communities that provide them.
We invite you to be part of this journey and to continue making history with us. Let’s spice up this new decade together!