Exclusive Interview – Brazil is now the 2nd largest market for Albaugh sales

Albaugh revealed to AgroPages that in 2024, the Brazilian operation advanced to become the second-largest sales region in the entire company. 

With over 50 products on the market, the company plans to launch more than five products annually in the coming years. Check out the exclusive interview with Cesar Rojas, President and CEO of Albaugh Brazil and Paraguay, as the company celebrates its 45th anniversary.

Cesar Rojas, President and CEO of Albaugh Brazil and Paraguay

Could you summarize how Albaugh's history in the agrochemical sector began?

Cesar Rojas: Albaugh was founded in the United States by farmer and entrepreneur Dennis Albaugh in Ankeny, Iowa in 1979. He founded the company with a visionary purpose: to become the preferred alternative for farmers and agrochemicals distribution partners, delivering high-quality products, excellent service, and the best cost-benefit ratio. Dennis Albaugh's dedication to this goal transformed what was once a local operation into a global company in over 80 countries, with 13 factories, including our facility in Brazil, and more than 150 marketed assets in a growing portfolio.

What is Albaugh's position today in the global agrochemical sector?

Cesar Rojas: We are among the top 10 global agricultural chemical companies. Albaugh follows a strategy of making products in the countries where they are sold to ensure product quality and adequate service to farmers. Our company's global presence is divided into six business regions. Among these, Brazil stands out for quickly consolidating itself among the top 10 (and it is not the tenth) in the Brazilian market in less than ten years, operating nationwide, being recognized by farmers and distributors as a company that inspires trust, and having the most comprehensive portfolio in the industry.

How and when did Albaugh arrive in Brazil?

Cesar Rojas: In 2015, Albaugh acquired Consagro, a company owned by FMC, adding a portfolio that boosted the start of its operations in Brazil in 2016, following the success achieved in the United States. Albaugh Brazil was founded on the same principles and values created by its founder.

What is the current scenario for Albaugh in Brazil?

Cesar Rojas: In Brazil, Albaugh maintains one of the most modern agrochemical industrial units in the country, where we produce insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. The plant concentrates all production intended for the local market and exports to group companies. It is also known globally for its large-scale manufacturing capacity of copper fungicides. In addition to the production facility, the Albaugh Brazil industrial complex houses two laboratories for formulation development and quality control. It also maintains a native and protected vegetation area, corresponding to more than 30% of the complex's total area.

In terms of results, this year (2024), the Brazilian operation advanced to the second-largest sales region in the entire company. Today, in Brazil, we have one of the most comprehensive portfolios in the segment, with more than 50 products on the market, and we are not resting on our laurels. Our pipeline will allow us to launch more than five products annually in the coming years, continuously providing alternatives to our customers. Following our strategic plan, we will continue to grow, investing in our people and business structure.

What are the vital crops for Albaugh's business in Brazil?

Cesar Rojas: We are recognized in the Brazilian market for the continuous expansion of our portfolio across all agrochemical categories. Albaugh mainly serves soybean, corn, cotton, coffee, citrus, sugarcane, beans, wheat, pastures, rice, and sorghum crops. Recently, we achieved a strategic position in the insecticide sector. With a series of launches, we consolidated an offering of more than 20 solutions in this category, including brands already recognized by farmers, such as Afiado^®, Krypto^® for soy and corn, and Porcel^® in sugarcane.

Looking ahead, how do you see the company's growth?

Cesar Rojas: In just eight years, Albaugh Brazil is the fastest-growing company in the segment, gaining space among the leaders and becoming attractive to agro professionals. Today, the local operation has more than 300 people and several teams operating throughout the country. We have three commercial and regional sales directorates specialized according to the customer's commercial model and focus crops, operating nationwide. We have a market development team entirely dedicated to the field, with specific individuals concentrating on each of these regions and their clients.

We see the business with enormous potential to compete with the major players in the sector across all crops. Our agrochemical solutions deliver results to farmers with a differentiated cost-benefit ratio. We started offering more concentrated formulations compared to standard treatments in various crops, and this has set us apart in the market. We are firmly committed to being the best "alternative" for Brazilian farmers and distributors, given the competitive advantages we can offer them.

Please talk about the company's culture and what it believes in, inside and outside Brazil.

Cesar Rojas: We have a mantra at Albaugh: prioritize, simplify, and implement. Along with our company's values, this mantra defines our way of being and shapes our culture. Knowing how to prioritize ensures we focus on what is important for customer satisfaction. Knowing how to simplify gives us the ability to respond to market demands at the right time and brings agility to our operation.

In turn, implementing refers to our delivery, with a commitment to quality, competitive prices, and excellent service. It always focuses on building trust with customers and the communities we engage with. We also incorporate sustainability into everything we do, which is one of our intrinsic values. We strive to minimize environmental impact, create opportunities to think differently, and achieve better results. An example of this is in our own Industrial Complex: 100% of the energy used in our industrial unit comes from renewable sources.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)

Please contact Christina Xie at christina@agropages.com if you would like to share your company story or advertising in the upcoming 2024 Latin America Focus magazine.