At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, who work passionately alongside our growers to provide solutions that make a real difference in the field. While we often put our seed varieties in the spotlight, it is our people who bring our story to life every day. Today, we shine the spotlight on Javier Angulo, Product Manager for the Americas for cucurbits and peppers.
Javier Angulo lives in Sinaloa, Mexico, one of the country’s key vegetable-growing regions. Agriculture has always been close to his heart. His father is a farmer, and both of his grandfathers were farmers too. “Farming has always been part of my life,” Javier shares.
That personal connection also makes Hazera and Limagrain a natural fit for him. “What I like most about the company and the group is that Limagrain is a group led by growers,” he says. “Most of the decisions the company makes are based on growers’ needs. Coming from a family of growers, this is very valuable to me.”
Javier studied Biotechnology Engineering and completed a master’s degree in Protected Agriculture. After starting his career in product development and sales for a fertiliser company, he joined Hazera in Baja California.
Over the past 14 years, Javier has built a broad career within the company. He started as a local Product Developer, then worked for more than ten years as Product Development Manager for Mexico. In 2025, he joined the marketing team as Product Manager for the Americas, focusing mainly on watermelons, while also supporting cucumbers and peppers.
If you had to explain your job to a 5-year-old, how would you do it?
For Javier, the answer is simple. “I help farmers find the best seeds so they can grow healthy and tasty vegetables,” he explains. “It is like helping someone choose the best ingredients before cooking a meal.”
He continues: “When farmers have good seeds, they can grow better crops for families to enjoy.” For Javier, that is the essence of his role: connecting growers with varieties that fit their needs, their season and their market.
What’s something you’ve learned during your career at Hazera from working with colleagues or partners from different cultures?
Over the years, Javier has learned that people may approach challenges in different ways, but that these differences often lead to stronger solutions. “It has helped me to learn from others and to always have an open mind when approaching different problems.”
For him, strong collaboration starts with communication. “I learned the importance of adapting communication, being clear, respectful and flexible. This is very important to build trust and strong collaboration across the regions.”
What’s the most unusual or memorable thing that’s ever happened to you in your career?
One of Javier’s most rewarding experiences took place two years ago, when he was invited by the local Hazera team in the Dominican Republic to give a talk to growers about pepper management in protected crops and greenhouses.
“I shared tips and advice about growing peppers, and things they need to be aware of during the growing season,” he recalls. More than 20 growers attended the session, and their openness made a strong impression on him. “They were so open-minded to listen. For me, this was very rewarding.”
That exchange of knowledge is also an important part of Javier’s current role. He travels through watermelon regions across the Americas, each with its own production methods, market demands and challenges.
By travelling across regions, Javier can also identify patterns early. “Some challenges we see in one region, we may see in another region three or four years later. In a way, we can anticipate this for other markets. Every region has its own way of doing things,” Javier says. “They are not always looking for the same product profile.” By understanding those differences, he can connect insights from one market to another. “What we learn from growers in Mexico can benefit growers in Guatemala, or something we learn in Brazil can be shared with growers in the USA.”
If you could look ahead 10 years, what change in your job field would excite you most?
“I believe we will see significant advances in developing varieties for stress conditions like heat, drought and new diseases,” he says. “But we need to keep the same fruit quality that growers demand.”
For Javier, this makes the seed business dynamic and meaningful. “One thing I can tell you is that the seed business is not boring at all, because you are always getting new challenges. We are always thinking ahead, because varieties can take a long time,” he explains. “Part of my job is to give insights to the breeding team about what they need for the future.”
After 14 years at Hazera, Javier is still motivated by the same purpose: supporting growers with practical solutions that help them move forward. “We want to deliver solutions, earn their trust and work to make agriculture better,” he concludes. “Hazera people are very passionate about their job. That is what I really like.”
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