Meet Chief Daddy Berry & CEO

Since we announced that DaddyBerry premium strawberries will be available across Europe, we’ve got some inquiry as to: who's really DaddyBerry? Well on the next few posts, will be introducing you to some of the individuals that make DaddyBerry unlike any other strawberry available.

Will be starting with the Chief Daddy & CEO, my father Armando Machado - who is credited for starting our tasty strawberry nursery.

(unfortunately my father’s English isn’t as good as his strawberries, so the questions where asked in Portuguese and translated in English)

(Me): How did it all begin?

(Chief Daddy): I’ve been an entrepreneur all of my life and always looking for a new adventure. My first business was a little supermarket in Toronto, Canada where I sold everything from fruits and vegetables to small treats. I learned a lot of about quality fruits, what customers wanted and how important fresh produces are for our health and of course for cooking. After my adventure with the supermarket, I came back to Portugal and started a little café in a city called Olhao here in Algarve. That business turned out to be very interesting but at the end day I realized a café is no place for my family to work – full of smoke and tempting pastries.

Since we announced that DaddyBerry premium strawberries will be available across

Europe, we’ve got some inquiry as to: who's really DaddyBerry? Well on the next few posts, will be introducing you to some of the individuals that make DaddyBerry unlike any other strawberry available.

Will be starting with the Chief Daddy & CEO, my father Armando Machado - who is credited for starting our tasty strawberry nursery.

Will be starting with the Chief Daddy & CEO, my father Armando Machado - who is credited for starting our tasty strawberry nursery.

(unfortunately my father’s English isn’t as good as his strawberries, so the questions where asked in Portuguese and translated in English)

(Me): How did it all begin?

(Chief Daddy): I’ve been an entrepreneur all of my life and always looking for a new adventure. My first business was a little supermarket in Toronto, Canada where I sold everything from fruits and vegetables to small treats. I learned a lot of about quality fruits, what customers wanted and how important fresh produces are for our health and of course for cooking. After my adventure with the supermarket, I came back to Portugal and started a little café in a city called Olhao here in Algarve. That business turned out to be very interesting but at the end day I realized a café is no place for my family to work – full of smoke and tempting pastries.

So sold the café and came the daunting question, what now – well deep inside I had this love affair with fresh fruit, especially strawberries. So one thing led to another and my little hobby has now turned into a fun and exciting business.

(Me): Why Strawberries?

(Chief Daddy): Why not? They’re beautiful, tasty and one of the world’s most favorite fruit. I started slow, learned everything about strawberries, visited strawberry farms all of over Europe and North America.

(Me): What do you do here at the Daddy Berry Nursery?

(Chief Daddy): I like to be involved at all points of the business. I spend most of my time taking care of each strawberry by making sure they’re positioned right, they’re getting the right amount sun light, water, and of course love.

(Me): What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not at the Nursery?

(Chief Daddy): I’m a handy man so if I’m not at the Nursery, I’m in my garage building a tool like a water pump or fixing my 1970 tractor.

But right now, my attention is on my 82 year old mother who is ill. So my thoughts are constantly with her.