Ben B. Schwartz & Sons looks to grow in 2023

Situated on the Michigan Produce Terminal in Detroit, Ben B. Schwartz & Sons serves local and national chain stores, as well as foodservice providers. The company’s distribution network ranges to most areas of the United States and also into Canada, and it has continued expanding yearly.

Ben B. Schwartz has been in business since 1906 and is fourth-generation owned. Ben Schwartz started the company as a produce retailer in Cadillac Square downtown Detroit. From there the business grew to a wholesale/distributor of high-quality produce. 

The company has two generations running it now, Chris Billmeyer and his two sons, Jake and Drew.

When a company has more than 100 years of experience, it is ready for any challenge. That’s why despite the issues plaguing the produce industry in recent years, Ben B. has continued to find success and meet the needs of its customers.

“Business was very good in 2022,” said Jordan Grainger, vice president of sales and business development for the company. “We ended the year with a lot of momentum going into 2023. Last year was another one where we saw year-over-year growth for our company and we expect 2023 to be the same.”

Ben B. is proud to call Detroit home and is one of the most trusted names on the terminal market.

“The location of Detroit is very important to who we are and what we can offer,” Grainger said. “Detroit is a major crossing point between the U.S. and Canada. Plus, Detroit has very strong independent grocery retailers. These retailers have high quality expectations along with making sure they have all the newest varieties.”

The biggest challenge the company is facing in early 2023 is labor, which has carried over from previous years.

“Labor is always a challenge,” Grainger said. “We are constantly discussing ways to improve our retention.”

Fortunately, those who work there are loyal and make sure to do what they can to ensure customers are happy.

“Our people have the willingness to get the job done to make sure we provide the service our customers expect,” Grainger said. “Working in the produce industry can be taxing hours. Our employees always rise to the occasion to get the job done and ensure our customers remain our top priority. Our purchasing team and warehouse team work very closely together to make sure we are providing the top overall quality to our customers. Both teams are working on selecting the correct product for the customer and looking at the quality before we deliver.”

Looking ahead, Ben B. is hoping to add new SKUs to its product mix in 2023 so it can provide new offerings to its customers.

“Our secret to a strong partnership is transparency and aligning expectations,” Grainger said. “The markets have been very volatile on many commodities. Some markets have come down while other remain historically high in price.”

One way to stay successful, Grainger noted, is by collaborating with others in the industry, participating in industry councils and attending industry events, which Ben B. expects to do a lot of in 2023.

“We feel at these events, it allows our industry to get together and discuss opportunities to strengthen the produce industry through innovation and collaboration,” Grainger said.