Our Story

Since 1965, we’ve taken a farmers-first approach to everything that we do.

Our legacy began when our father, Nibaldo Capote was forced to leave Cuba and came to the U.S. with nothing to his name. Our grandfather, also a farmer, would send him boniato slips to plant. It was then that our father began to make his mark. He started with 5 acres of boniato and today, we grow and source over 70 tropical fruits and vegetables from 10 countries year-round. What drives us to constantly improve our process is an unwavering focus to consistently educate our retail partners and maintain our superior level of service with a dedicated team of multi-dimensional disciplines.

CULTURE

It’s in our roots

What sets J&C Tropicals apart is our multi-cultural team perspective. We’ll also never forget how we got here. Every decision we make is about putting local farmers, families, and communities first. Our produce caters to multiple generations with different cultural backgrounds and retailers that are not afraid to evolve. Given our modern perspective, we understand where the market is and where trends are heading as consumers are looking for fresh, sustainable, and quality options that excite.

Our Products

A labor of love, naturally.

Maintaining our fruits, roots, and vegetables is a dedicated process that involves many in-season and pre-harvest visits to the farms we work with. We help our partners prepare for their field audits by educating them on sustainable practices like irrigation (to save water), alternative energy, and soil and nutrient management to embrace every flavor naturally. Everything we do is in the best interest of the plants our farmers grow to offer an exciting and healthy lifestyle for every family.

Leadership Team

Jessie Capote

CEO, Owner

Named after his father, Nibaldo “Jessie” Capote, Esq. is the C.E.O. of J&C Tropicals. His journey began as a young boy picking and packing fruits and roots with his father and brothers on the farms of Homestead. Weekends and summers were spent harvesting tropical produce and selling it to local farmers’ markets. This experience taught Capote the value of hard work, commitment, and quality. Before joining J&C Tropicals in a leadership role, Capote served as Vice President of Operations for a Miami-based real estate development company with a significant presence in both Florida and the Caribbean. Capote also practiced law with Adorno & Yoss, P.A. and Holland & Knight, LLP.

Capote has a B.S. in Accounting from Boston College and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. Fluent in Spanish, Jessie is admitted to practice in the State of Florida and is a member of The Florida Bar.

When Capote is not growing and leading J&C Tropicals, he and his wife are focused on raising the next generation of Capotes, enjoying food and wine, and traveling.

Carlos Capote

President, Owner

As the eldest of the Capote brothers, Carlos Capote is the in-house inspirational leader for the J&C Tropicals team. From the very first day his father Nibaldo Capote took him to the Redlands, Capote has been fully enraptured with the Tropicals lifestyle. Capote has held every position in the company and is credited with growing J&C Tropicals from a traditional grower to a grower, importer, and marketer of over 60 tropical fruits and vegetables.

Capote received his B.S. in Finance from the University of Miami and is fluent in Spanish.

Adrian Capote

VP of Sales, Owner

The youngest of the Capote brothers, he followed his brothers to the fields and markets every summer and weekend. These experiences have positioned Capote to now be recognized as a force of nature when it comes to growing, distributing, and marketing tropical fruits, roots, and vegetables. He is responsible for developing and nurturing partner relationships and exploring new revenue streams. To date, his efforts account for 80% of the sales.

In 2015, Capote was recognized as a “40 under 40” top young business professional by Produce Business. If Capote is not busy growing his business on the ground, look to the skies and you might find him soaring thru the clouds in his plane.

OUR COMMITMENT

We are dedicated to growing and distributing exceptional tropical fruits, roots, and vegetables.

Our commitment, or as we like to say, “homegrown partnership,” is to connect farmers with premium retailers across America. We take care of every detail so that our farmers can focus on what they do best—growing quality produce.

Our Promise

The family that grows together stays together.

In honoring three generations of hard work, integrity and entrepreneurship, we promise to deliver superior quality and value to the forefront of the produce industry through state-of-the-art farming, distribution, and customer service. J&C is Tropicals.

Learn more about our mission

Our Mission