TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Francisco Cáceres Mesías​​

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Francisco Cáceres Mesías is a driving force in the health and wellness industry, where his passion for business development has fueled the growth of brands across continents. As the commercial director and co-founder of Cunsa International, he leads the company’s mission to provide high-quality, private label vitamins, minerals, and sports nutrition products to a global market.

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In 2016, Francisco was selected as an Endeavor High Impact Entrepreneur. His academic background in industrial civil engineering from the Catholic University of Chile, along with the strategic knowledge acquired in the ECLA program at Columbia University, have equipped him with the necessary tools to drive innovation and create global partnerships. In addition, his 18 years of experience, complemented by his bold leadership and strategic vision, have made a lasting impact on the nutrition sector worldwide. His leadership has driven Cunsa’s growth in the competitive dietary supplement and sports nutrition markets and, with a focus on expanding the company’s global footprint, his efforts have resulted in a presence in over 18 countries across three continents, with plans to expand to all five.

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Cunsa, founded in 2007 and based in Florida, utilizes a unique 360º approach that provides clients with end-to-end services, from manufacturing and product registration to marketing and long-term business development. Their “Just in Time” production system ensures rapid market responsiveness and low minimum order quantities. Cunsa’s recent recognition with the President’s E Award, presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce for its contribution to U.S. exports and job creation, is a testament to Francisco’s expert guidance.

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Francisco Cáceres Mesías has built an impressive career as a business development leader and entrepreneur, transforming the health and wellness industry on a global scale. He has taken Cunsa International from a small start-up in Chile to an international powerhouse, offering private label vitamins, minerals, and sports nutrition products to retailers around the world. His passion for innovation, coupled with his ability to adapt to the complexities of different markets, has been key to Cunsa's continued expansion.

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In this Q&A, Francisco shares the inspiration behind starting Cunsa, what sets the company apart, and the keys to his entrepreneurial success.

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What inspired you to start Cunsa?

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I have always been passionate about health and wellness, and 21 years ago I founded Nutraline in Chile as a nutritional supplement and vitamin distribution company, offering mainly private label solutions for retailers. A few years later, I founded All Nutrition, which has since become the largest specialist retailer in Chile with over 40 stores. In 2015, I founded Tervispharma in order to implement a similar business model in the world of medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Over time, we saw the potential not only to distribute products, but also to offer marketing support, strategic development, and training in order to help companies create private label brands, and that is when we launched Cunsa International with our first manufacturing facility in Florida USA.

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This entire entrepreneurial journey started with only $3,000 and we have never injected external capital, but with hard work and a clear vision, Cunsa has grown exponentially. In 2015, we moved our headquarters, lab and manufacturing facility to Miami. Three years ago, I moved my family; Monica, Clemente, Camila, and Renato, to work more closely with our international team as commercial director, focusing on developing private label products for retailers around the world. Today we are 270 employees in Chile, 15 in international commercial area, and 300 in our manufacturing plant, with offices in Chile, Mexico, Peru and the USA. We expect to open our corporate office in Asia soon.

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One of the biggest challenges we help our customers overcome is the complex regulations on nutritional supplements in different countries. We adapt U.S. formulas, labels, and brands to meet international standards. We currently have a presence in more than 15,000 retail outlets and our plans are to continue expanding in South America, North America and new markets in Asia and the Middle East.

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What makes Cunsa unique?

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Cunsa’s uniqueness lies in our comprehensive 360-degree solution for our clients. We don’t just handle manufacturing; we partner with our clients from start to finish. We design and create labels, provide technical dossiers for product registration in various countries, and work with our customers long-term to grow their business through tailored commercial and marketing support.

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A big part of what sets us apart is our proactive approach to staying ahead of industry trends. Our team regularly attends trade shows to scout for new ingredients and innovations. We advise our customers in countries like Singapore, Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia on what products to introduce next, helping them remain competitive. We’re essentially an extended category management team, using our knowledge of diverse markets and distribution channels to guide our clients to success. We also offer hands-on support in regions like Peru and Mexico, where our pharmaceutical experts train customers on how to effectively market and sell their products in stores. Our deep understanding of local markets helps us provide valuable guidance on product placement and sales strategies.

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One of our key strengths is our ability to adapt formulas to meet each country’s regulatory requirements. For instance, we manufacture private label products for big drugstores in the US, Mexico, and other countries. Since they can’t export their US formulas due to differing regulations, we help them adapt their brands, products, and formulas to local standards. This level of customization and market knowledge is what makes Cunsa stand out.

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To what do you attribute your success as an entrepreneur and business leader?

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I believe that having an entrepreneurial spirit is essential. You have to believe you can build something significant. But beyond that, success is all about having the right team and partners who share your vision. I didn’t build this business alone. I have two partners in the U.S. (Plubins Brothers) and two in Chile (Esposito Brothers), each with different strengths. We complement each other—whether it’s finance, strategy, or business development. Ultimately, I attribute my success to having the right mindset, a clear vision, and great partners. You can dream big, but it’s the right team that turns that dream into reality.

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Francisco Cáceres Mesías
Commercial director and Co-Founder
Cunsa International
Website: https://www.cunsa.net
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscocaceresmesias/