PHARR, TX — Texas has gone through some big changes during the past decade, particularly South Texas, which has shifted from primarily an area focused on agriculture to one that incorporates both agriculture and commerce.

Add to that its location between two nations, and you have a recipe for great potential for companies that are able to take advantage of the opportunities.

Ruiz Sales is one of those companies.

Richard Ruiz, president of the Pharr-based distributor of Mexican produce items, points to three key factors for the success of his company: providing superior produce, offering superior customer service and maintaining a superior workforce.

“It is definitely an investment to operate the way we do, but you need to do things correctly if you want to succeed in today’s business environment,” he said. “It’s a different world today, with technology playing such a big role in business and things moving faster than ever.”

Ruiz said putting the best quality product into the marketplace is of the utmost importance to prevent consumers defecting to other less healthy foods.

Ruiz credits the Produce for Better Health Foundation for doing an outstanding job of keeping mothers and children as the main focus, which he considers the produce industry’s top priority. For the past two years, Ruiz Sales has been honored by PBH at its annual meeting for its commitment to promoting produce consumption.

As a father and a grandfather, Ruiz also draws on personal experience and emotions for motivation to produce the best product possible. After all, he wants only the best for his own family, and he believes all consumers feel the same way.

“The entire supply chain needs to do its job, from the growers to the transportation companies to the retailers, and everyone in between,” he said. “If a piece of poor-quality fruit reaches the retailer and a consumer has a bad experience, we risk losing that consumer. If we all do our job and that consumer has a good experience, that creates repeat business and we all benefit.”

Ruiz believes that retailers are beginning to realize that the lowest price is not always the best deal. He makes the argument that while a box of his limes might cost more that that of a competitor, the waste is much lower so his product actually costs less in the end.

“Retailers are starting to get it,” he said. “They see that a box of my limes has more usable fruit and will bring better returns than a cheaper box, where half the product has to be thrown out. And with the better-quality fruit, they are making the customers happy, too. So it’s actually better for everyone in the end.”

The globalization of the produce industry also will have an effect on competition and prices, according to Ruiz.

“I expect things to become even more competitive in the years to come,” he said. “There will be more product from domestic sources and more foreign suppliers will target the U.S. as a destination for their products, and that means consumers will have more options and prices will be more affordable. But producers will have to work harder to maintain and grow their businesses. Again, it comes down to doing the right thing all the way from farm to fork.”

Ruiz said that it is “really an exciting time in the produce industry today. We have various different generations of consumers now — from millenials to Gen X’ers to baby boomers — and we need to adapt to provide what each group wants. It’s really the only way to be successful, by meeting the needs of the different groups.”

He sees good things happening in the Rio Grande Valley as well.

“Here in South Texas, there is a lot of growth,” said Ruiz. “With the completion of the highway coming from Mexico, more money is being invested in the area, and that is good for the Rio Grande Valley. It’s become the main crossing area for produce headed to the United States and Canada, and there is more movement of product south into Mexico, which is creating new business opportunities.”

More specific to Ruiz Sales, the company’s bagged lime sales have increased notably in the last 12 months.

“I think it’s mainly because we are putting such high quality into the bag, and that’s the most important thing,” said Rick Salinas, food-safety and technical coordinator at Ruiz Sales. “People are getting what they want and are getting a value for their money — I feel it is our duty to give that to them. And people are now looking for our brand more because they know they will get the best product, so that is coming back to us in the form of increased sales.

“Many customers see bags as a convenient way to save time when shopping for their favorite fruits or vegetables, but they also have concerns about product quality inside of the bags,” added Salinas. “In addition, while many companies do compromise the quality of their bagged products, we want to make sure the consumer feels secure in their purchase when they see our Ruiz Sales ‘Fresh Health’ label, and so we never compromise on quality, no matter how we pack our Mexican Persian limes. In addition to only using high-grade Mexican Persian limes in our bags, we are also at the forefront of food safety in the industry.”

Ruiz Sales’ bagged Persian lime pack has full PTI traceability, and each bag also has a pack date, expiration date and an exclusive traceability number that can trace the product in each bag from farm to fork, giving consumers the peace of mind of knowing that their fruit is good and safe to eat, according to Salinas.

“Each lime bag also has a recipe that not only gives the consumer a new fresh, delicious dish to try, but also encourages them to pick up more produce and goods at their retail stores, which drives more sales in retail,” Salinas added. “These things highlight our dedication to our commitment of safe, high-quality traceable foods combined with a superior customer experience that has allowed us to grow in the industry.”

“My philosophy is to train our people well and let our service, our quality and our company take care of things,” said Ruiz. “If you give the customers what they want and give them a good experience, things will take care of themselves. That’s our only real goal.”