Company Profile: Matosantos Campoverde
The brand Campoverde has played an integral part in redefining the frozen fruit category. Campoverde has proven time and again to consumers that frozen fruit is equal parts enticing and a potent source of antioxidants and vitamins. A notable trait of the brand is never backing down to doubt and resistance from skeptics and the status quo. Company leaders view obstacles as an opportunity and a way forward to change consumers’ minds and look at frozen fruit through a different lens.
“I have a philosophy: no is not a no, it’s a maybe and there’s always a way of doing things. It’s just how do you make it work for both parties? There just has to be a way. That’s the philosophy of Campoverde,” stated Ivonne Balsinde, Global VP of Marketing & New Business Development for Matosantos International Corp, which produces the Campoverde brand.
This confidence and adaptability are evident throughout the brand’s leadership, culture and the products which consumers can’t get enough of.
“One of the things we have learned is the consumer of yesterday is not the consumer of today, and it won’t be the consumer of tomorrow,” she shared. “You really need to preempt what is going to happen. There are things that are going to be successful, and there are things that aren’t, but you need to start taking risks because the category is not going to be stagnant. You need to evolve and start understanding what the consumers’ needs and wants are. They’re very honest. They tell you what they want. And if you take those cues, you’ll be able to start developing and going forward with what that is.”
Campoverde’s lineup of frozen fruit, smoothies and frappes provides 100 percent natural frozen fruits along with fruits with vegetables that are individually quick-frozen at their peak ripeness to guarantee consumers enjoy their favorite fruits and vegetables at peak levels of sweetness, flavor and nutritional value. Campoverde’s products, juicy frozen fruit and creamy beverages, are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants and are void of added preservatives and sugars.
“Shoppers obviously like the versatility of the product, the reduced weight and the multiple eating occasions that frozen fruit actually provides,” Balsinde pointed out. “In all of this with their versatility, and in terms of the smoothie format, Campoverde offers them a wide variety of options. We were the first ones to offer the consumer the fruit and veggie format and the pre-pack format.”
Shoppers are also looking for satisfying and convenient snacking opportunities. “They are looking for snacking, not only in our category, but also in other categories, specifically in very easy, on-the-go immediate consumption formats,” she said.
Campoverde reflected these snacking preferences by launching Fruit On a Stick, which “is an innovative, differentiated way of eating fruit—you don’t need a fork. You just grab and go. Right now, we have two already out on the market, but we’re coming out with three new fruits as well, so we’re going to have five out in the market,” Balsinde said.
Balsinde noted consumers are attracted to the frozen fruit category because they understand the convenience component of it, the value frozen fruit brings, in addition to the health benefits it adds to consumers’ diets. For instance, Campoverde’s smoothies take less than one minute to prepare.
“It takes you 45 seconds to make,” Balsinde said. “That’s all it takes you. You pour one of the pre-portioned bags into your blender, you pour the liquid—milk or water or juice—and 45 seconds later you’re having a full meal. The portions that we put out there have exactly the necessary fruits and veggies for the day.”
Further, suppliers have done their due diligence to educate consumers that today’s frozen fruit doesn’t resemble the unappetizing, mushy frozen fruit previous generations tolerated.
“What attracts consumers to the category is that they understand the convenience part of it, the value it brings, but also the health benefits,” Balsinde explained. “They understand that frozen does not have a bad connotation but actually has a good connotation. Once it’s frozen, the fruit has preserved all of its nutrients, all of its minerals and vitamins that obviously fresh, although good, isn’t necessarily preserving because it’s already oxidizing once it gets to the store.”
Frozen fruit is becoming a staple ingredient due to its versatility in meals and snacking occasions and because consumers are realizing that when it comes to flavors, textures and health attributes, they don’t have to make sacrifices.
“The consumer is understanding that it can be swapped for fresh fruit,” Balsinde said. “That myth that it’s not good for you is becoming that: a myth. It’s not a worry that consumers are having anymore. Before Campoverde, frozen fruit became a mush, and people were deterred from trying it because the fruit was watery. Campoverde has taken that problem away from frozen fruit. When you try our mango chunks, they’re really great. They’re like mangoes coming off a tree. It’s come a long way, frozen fruit.”
Balsinde is emphatic about the brand’s position within the frozen fruit category, let alone the overarching industry.
“Campoverde plays a critical role in the grocery industry; it’s the bridge between the farm and the freezer aisle,” she asserted. “It gives reassurance that the product comes in with the integrity of the farmer. We invest in innovation to make sure that the product that the growers have comes in many different ways and that aligns with what the consumer’s needs are. We collaborate closely with the retailers as well to drive that sustainability and grow the category as a whole. You’re not sacrificing quality. We offer quality, so people know that they are consuming the best that they can get.”
The brand’s purpose is quite simple yet impressive.
Balsinde summed it up: “Campoverde is here to make high-quality frozen fruit accessible, versatile and relevant for everyday life. It’s very simple.”
A family-owned company, Matosantos is run by a third generation of leaders.
“Their leadership style is collaborative, grounded and execution focused,” Balsinde explained.
For instance, she said of her boss, “he manages the company as a CPG, so he uses that mentality. He sets very clear direction and we as his team are empowered to move quickly, take ownership and make informed decisions.”
“This is a family-owned company, and he is very respectful of his people and their time,” she elaborated. “There is only one requirement: do your work and do it well. And he will respect you and give you the time that you need to do what you have to do. I always describe him as an adventurous, curious soul that has this great brand in Campoverde that he has built himself. This was a dream. It has become a reality and a great and amazing brand. And we’re here to enjoy the ride with him and make it grow. He’s building a high-potential leadership team to make it work.”
The culture is ripe with mentorship and fostering professional development for employees.
“I can honestly say that I have space for growth, and I have space to develop and to create. I usually take things to him and they are approved and they are well seen,” Balsinde said.
Campoverde’s parent company has been in the market for 25 years with deep roots in Puerto Rico. Campoverde was established 12 years ago by a company that had established itself and developed a rich history. “It already has heritage, longevity and interesting history,” Balsinde said. “It’s an honor to be involved with this brand.”
Starting with the essentials, bulk fruit, the company offered bags of frozen fruits and later, spurred by consumer research findings, the company added bags of mixed frozen fruit to its offering. From those mixed bags of frozen fruit came the smoothies, and by 2017, Campoverde subsequently offered its Fruit & Veggie Blenders that could be whipped into creamy, refreshing smoothies. “These are a combination of fruit and vegetables to meet that daily consumption of fruit and vegetables,” Balsinde explained. “The combinations are specific for functional benefits such as immunity, protein, fiber and antioxidants. They all come from the fruit or from the vegetable. They are very specific. You don’t taste the vegetable, but it’s there.”
In 2024, Campoverde introduced its On a Stick product, starting with mango, with plans to have five SKUs of On a Stick to complete their portfolio. At the end of 2025, they launched Frappe Blenders in mocha and vanilla salted caramel varieties.
“Those have been the latest milestones for Campoverde because these last ones have been born, if you will, here in the States, not necessarily in Puerto Rico, because of the growth of the business here in the States,” Balsinde said.
Developments are unfolding at Campoverde at a measured clip.
“We continue strengthening our portfolio,” Balsinde said. “We have a lot of things in the pipeline: we are focusing on functionality, format expansion and improving consumer experience. We’re also investing in capabilities that support faster execution and deeper retail collaboration. It’s going to make us grow.”
A major goal for the company is to grow its leadership position in frozen fruit.
“We want to expand our usage occasions,” she said. “And we want to continue growing responsibly along with our retail partners while remaining true to our quality and our values that define Campoverde. We will never compromise who Campoverde is.”
What can we expect from Campoverde in the near future? “Greatness,” Balsinde said.
Even though the company is poised to continue innovating and keeping frozen fruit relevant and vibrant, leaders are thoughtful and deliberate in strategizing their next move.
“You can expect from us to continue pursuing innovation, thoughtful expansion—I said ‘thoughtful’ and that’s important because we’re not going to expand just because we want to expand,” she said. “We have a strategic plan of where we want to go and why and a strong focus on making frozen fruit more relevant, more accessible, while inspiring the consumer to try frozen fruit. We want to be an inspiring brand. We want to inspire consumers.”
Campoverde’s success can be attributed to a combination of facets. “It’s the strong relationships we have, it’s the discipline and execution and a clear understanding of both the consumer and the customer that we have,” she said. “But most importantly, it comes from our team and the commitment we have to do things in the right way.”
With deep roots and heritage in Puerto Rico, the Campoverde brand has given US households an improved experience with frozen fruit and enhanced snack and meal solutions.
