Milk Magic: Transforming the Dairy Sector in Honduras

Suany Varela has understood milk and dairy processing since she was a little girl. When she was younger, she’d accompany her father, Miguel, and her brothers and sisters through the dairy processing plant Miguel built from the ground up in Olancho, Honduras in the early 90s.

“My parents have taught my brothers and sisters to work very hard. It is the model we have had since childhood.” She said, “It’s already in our DNA.”

When she first started at the factory nine years ago, Suany had to prove herself. After graduating from Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School in Honduras with a degree in industrial engineering, it took a while to learn the business.

She wanted to test her skills, learn how to produce the highest-quality dairy products and increase the factory’s output. As a manager, she has established quality control parameters and applied new training methodologies.

She knew that to be successful as a leader and businesswoman, she needed to immerse herself in the business and lead the company to success, too. These entrepreneurial values were instilled in all five of the Varela siblings by their father, though they have had to learn a lot about running a modern business by getting their hands dirty.

For instance, Suany has had to learn to embrace being a leader in the face of social and cultural ideas of machismo, a social behavior pattern in which women are perceived as inferior. She refused to be discouraged, focusing on her work and improving the efficiency of the processing lines and the quality of the milk, cheese and yogurt that leave the factory doors.

Over time, she earned the respect of her family and the staff by working “shoulder to shoulder” with the team and, of course, “doing things right.”

These days, she is valued for her experience and her deep knowledge of the dairy business.

Of course, another test is her ability to manage people to ensure the highest-quality dairy products leave the facility. That’s the test of “working together and being able to work as a team to get the day’s production going,” she said.

Alongside her siblings, she has spent countless hours learning about milk and dairy processing, training the staff and even creating manuals to ensure rigorous quality control. This included patiently explaining new procedures and demonstrating best practices.

The manuals Suany designed contain reference documents and information essential to the Boquerón’s success, and they are part of what makes the processing plant a pioneer.

Over time, the business has become certified as a product exporting company at the highest level in Central America. It obtained certification through the health regulatory body by adopting certification manuals to produce products under international safety and quality standards.

Scaling the business has required embracing change and being receptive to advice, constructive criticism and support from Heifer’s business advisors.

A significant boost to Boquerón’s development came once they agreed to partner with Heifer International to accept business development training, enabling the company to adopt better business planning and stronger accounting practices and reinforce its role as a reliable buyer for locally produced milk. This opportunity was only available because of your generosity as a Friend of Heifer!

Heifer has been building sustainable dairy value chains in the region by connecting processing companies like Boquerón with farmers, coffee shops and other potential markets. These connections are the foundation upon which the dairy sector can scale with the right support.

The initiative is part of the Heifer Honduras Sustainable Livestock Signature Program, which focuses on enhancing productivity, expanding market access and implementing eco-friendly practices.

We believe that equality shouldn’t be a privilege. Diversity strengthens our communities, and our work aims to lift up everyone — including Suany, women just like her and other marginalized groups so that all have a chance to amplify their voices, find equal opportunity and achieve a just and resilient future.

Suany’s and Boquerón’s collaboration with Heifer has been instrumental in helping Boquerón transition to sourcing milk from local community milk cooling centers, which has opened a new, sustainable supply of raw milk.

The expansion required new equipment and extensive staff retraining and full dedication by the Varela family. Suany worked tirelessly, often late into the night, to resolve challenges.

Now, with the new equipment, the supply and demand equation is much more balanced, resulting in more regular income for dairy farmers, more safe and nutritious milk available in the community and less spoiling and waste.

Suany’s vision certainly extends beyond the current factory walls. She dreams of expanding and opening new facilities in other rural communities within Honduras, bringing jobs and economic opportunities to the region and the country and beyond. She envisions a network of thriving dairy processing plants, all operating with the same efficiency and commitment to quality that she and her family have instilled in their original factory, and all contributing to a sustainable dairy value chain.

Though the Boquerón family business is located steps from the family home, the entire Varela family, like Suany, has big dreams of expanding the operation into all corners of Honduras, delivering high-quality, delicious milk, cheese and dairy products throughout the country.

And with a growing network of strong partnerships, fostered by Heifer, these ambitions are achievable — all thanks to your support as a Friend of Heifer.