Our story

The company “GRUPO INTERCONTINENTAL DE MERCADEO SOCIEDAD ANONIMA”, abbreviated GRIMER, was created in Costa Rica in June 1994 by the founder of the Interfrutd Corporation, Mr. Francisco Ramírez, and others. It was then located in the wholesale market of fruits & vegetables (CENADA), Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.

 

GRIMER's first, not very successful, activity was the export of fresh tubers to the United States market. Then, at the end of the 90s, GRIMER entered the market of San Andrés Islands (Colombian archipelago), shipping -by plane and then by boat- loads of bananas, yuca and plantains and other products. Exports to San Andrés Islands stopped after 2000 due to strong fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Colombian peso.

 

Mr. Jean-Marc Tilly, a Frenchman who has been living in Costa Rica since 1989, joined GRIMER in 1995, first as an external support, then as an employee and finally with a minority shareholding.

 

Along with the San Andrés Islands market, other destinations were progressively incorporated: France (fresh cassava), Canada (mixed), Trinidad & Tobago (carrots), Curaçao (mixed) and the French Antillean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe (fresh yam containers). Yam export has been the most successful and long-lasting activity.

 

In 2008, the Ramírez family, then majority shareholder (60%), offered to sell its shares to Mr. Tilly, who accepted, and the change was formalized in May 2009. The first two years under the ownership of Jean-Marc Tilly were dedicated to paying the Ramírez family the value of the shares purchased.

 

Then, independently, it was decided to buy a packing plant in the town of La Rita, Pococí, Limón. The objective was that GRIMER would not depend on third parties for the preparation of containers and would implement a phase of diversification with processed products, as well as “put down roots” in the Atlantic area.

 

From 2014-15, difficulties arose in the management of GRIMER, linked to a deterioration of the client portfolio in the French islands. Consequently, it was decided to reduce risk exposure, diversifying activities and lowering the company's liabilities. Positive results have gradually been obtained.

 

Over the last decade, GRIMER has specialized in vacuum-packed, frozen, peeled tropical fruits and vegetables for the Caribbean. It has also developed the sale of frozen extra-sweet, pre-fried ripe plantains. In addition, it has exported or manufactured containers of fresh yuca and yam.