“We want to expand our suppliers, but we also want to communicate to our potential grower-partners that we want the best possible product, because only the best is something that can truly generate a sustainable profit for both our business and our customers,” shares Ruiz.
“If our customers are happy and we take care of them, they will take care of us,” adds Ruiz.
Bonanza’s Salinas specializes in avocados. Most sales are “primarily No. 1-focused and even that is tough enough,” he comments, when it comes to maintaining quality. “We see these standards in our sales; suppliers to chain stores want to know if it’s good enough. Purchases,” he emphasizes, “are very quality driven.”
DeBerry has seen a few retailers taking small amounts of No. 2 fruit, with a little bit of scarring. “But that’s still on the rare side, as most consumers are still shopping with their eyes when it comes to produce.” Foodservice, on the other hand, is much more hospitable to blemished or scarred fruit because customers only see the end product, and the pulp of a No. 2 is just as good as a No. 1 avocado.
A solid relationship with customers and clear communication is also a factor in the acceptance of less-than-perfect fruit, according to Garcia. In his experience, when dealing personally with H-E-B stores, tolerance is ultimately based on communication. An example is guavas: Garcia says the grocer is extremely strict on color, but if Sweet Seasons has a load that’s a little greener with some imperfections and lets H-E-B’s buyers know, the store will sometimes agree to the shipment.
For its part, Ruiz Sales goes through a “triple-run process” for quality to try and prevent any losses on the receiving end, which Richard Ruiz believes is imperative to keeping business relationships strong. He also touts the company’s food safety and traceability programs as another key factor in building and maintaining trust throughout the supply chain.
Catering to Schools
Another aspect of the expanding business community in the Rio Grande Valley is related to families and children. With a healthy and growing job market, workers and their families are moving into the area too. This has triggered tremendous growth in the region’s school districts, providing an excellent opportunity for produce suppliers to serve more fresh fruit and vegetables to students—one of the industry’s top priorities.
Eli Reyes has been the ‘school specialist’ for Nicho Produce Company, Inc. in Edinburg for the past four years, and his job “entails catering to the unique individual needs of each of the school districts.”
