When The Produce News reached Ana Ramos — co-owner with her husband, Frank, of Miami-based The Perishable Specialist Inc. — on Christmas Eve, that conversation gave testament to the company’s claim that it is available to its customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.

“Fresh produce doesn’t wait for a holiday to pass before it gets on its way to its destination,” said Ramos. “Delivering perishables to their destination in the best possible condition means that they must move as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible — and that’s what we mean to accomplish every day of the year.”

Ana and Frank Ramos, co-owners of The Perishable Specialist, flanked by daughters Analis and Sophia.The husband-and-wife team shuffle the major responsibilities of clearing imported produce, assuring proper cold storage protocol and working with logistics operations with raising their two teenage daughters — and it’s apparent being great parents to their daughters is a first priority. Their daughters’ names are Sophia and Analis, and Sophia, the older of the two, is studying publishing in hopes of working in the produce industry in the future.

The PSI is licensed as a customs broker by Customs & Border Protection a division of the Department of Homeland Security specializing in perishables.

“Although our headquarters are in Doral, a section of Miami, we are a remote location filer,” Ramos stressed. “We are able to clear cargo at all ports of the United States. And although our ‘expertise’ is at Miami International Airport where we clear perishable air arrivals from all over the world, we also clear containerized ocean cargo at the Port of Miami and Port Everglades, as well as in Philadelphia, Newark, Wilmington, Houston, Long Beach and other ports of entry.”

The PSI has had a past near decade of major growth and evolvement. Becoming approved as a Remote Location Filer in 2007 by Customs & Border Protection is one of the company’s more recent accomplishments.

In 2004, it was certified as a member of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, commonly referred to as C-TPAT, and it was validated by C-TPAT in 2006.

In 2003, the company was ranked No. 27 in Entrepreneur magazine’s America’s Fastest Growing New Businesses. In 2005, the PSI made the Hispanic Business Top 500 Company’s list.

In 2011 the PSI expanded by adding an accounting wing to its existing building, making it the new location a contemporary state-of-the-art office.

Ramos said that the company represents all the major players in the produce industry.

“We have strong relationships with customers that import fresh fruits and vegetables from Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Peru,” she said. “We strive to visit all of our exporting countries prior to the forthcoming seasons in order to gain a better understanding of the importers’ and exporters’ needs. Today, we continue to grow and further our involvement and contacts in the perishables industry.”

The PSI has outstanding relationships with all government agencies that play a role in proper import procedures, including Customs & Border Protection, Agriculture Quarantine Inspection, a department within CBP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food & Drug Administration.

She also stressed the fact that the company handles only fresh fruits and vegetables, giving it an added edge over customs brokers that handle a broad range of products such as dry and processed goods.

The Ramos couple founded the PSI in 2001. Together they bring over 50 years of experience specializing in the perishables industry.

Ramos said that Chile continues to be at the top of the exporting industry.

The company started clearing Chilean produce going on three decades ago, and volumes have increased steadily every year.

“Its pre-clearance procedures are in place with all required U.S. agencies,” she said. “Chilean blueberries are one of the most popular items that the country exports to the U.S., and they are a staple in American homes today.”

Ramos said that with the company’s experience, it continually strives to provide a boutique feel to Customs clearing by providing the services needed by the industry’s top importers.

“But we do this while never losing the personal touch with our clients,” she said.

“Since our inception we have grown to a staff of 17 full-time employees,” she continued. “We are the epitome of a streamlined process when it comes to clearing imported fruits and vegetables. Our process is geared toward getting customers’ ocean containers or air arrivals of fresh fruit and vegetables cleared and to their warehouses quickly so customers can concentrate on what they do best — selling fresh produce.”