“Detroit is a special place for our business and our family,” said Dominic Riggio, president of Riggio Distribution Co. “We are a third-generation produce family that has deep roots in Detroit, Southeast Michigan and the Greater Midwest region.”
Riggio believes the Motor City is a top produce town in the nation and is only getting better.
“We continue to have strong growth in locally grown product, and we serve as a conduit for many local growers getting their product to market,” Riggio said. “We have the 12-month relationships with our customer base while the local growers are seasonal. We help the growers and the customers using our existing logistics and sales team to connect them. It is a win for the growers, a win for the customers, and a win for Riggio Distribution.”
The Riggio history in the area begins with his grandfather, who immigrated to Detroit from Terrasini, Sicily and like so many immigrants seeking work, found a place in the food industry and became a produce peddler.
In the mid ’80s, Phil Riggio took the gamble and opportunity to purchase a business on the Detroit Produce Terminal and today the company is owned and operated by Phil’s three sons, and many of the original relationships are still as strong as ever.
Today, the third-generation company operates a fleet of refrigerated trucks and provides both warehouse-to-warehouse and direct store delivery services to all clients. With a diverse clientele, Riggio offers a comprehensive selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are shipped and received daily for corporate and independent customers of all sizes.
“Riggio Distribution has a broad range of customers from national retail chain stores, to independent family-owned markets, to broad-line distributors to local jobbers as well as large food manufacturers and boutique restaurants. Trust is the foundation to all of our relationships with both our customers and suppliers.”
The company has long looked for opportunities to grow and expand, with daily ideas and conversations leading to strategic planning, so isn’t afraid to pull the trigger when the right thing comes along.
“We always have growth plans in the works; however, we also maintain the ability to react to the opportunities we didn’t necessarily plan for,” Riggio said. “Very often, we get requests from suppliers and/or customers with opportunities, and we value and appreciate those opportunities, so we always make sure we can accommodate and continue to get those calls.”
Family continues to be a key component of the business, and while Riggio acknowledges sometimes there are challenges working with family, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“At Riggio Distribution, we are a blend of multiple generations which is very advantageous for us and I believe a key to success for us,” he said. “My brothers and I grew up in the produce business learning from my father, grandfather and uncles. Although many things have changed over the years with product, supply, as well as information and technology, our fundamentals have remained consistent—developing and maintaining our relationships from suppliers to customers, employing strong inventory controls and discipline, and staying on top of payables and receivables, just to name a few things.”
Photo: Matt DeBlouw, Ron Shook, Dominic Riggio Jr., Eric Blash, Phil Riggio, Jim Schick, Jim Mancuso and Dominic Riggio
