Ruiz Sales, a McAllen, TX-based distributor of tropical items from Mexico, with an emphasis on limes, is looking to make 2015 its best year yet.

“We are very excited to make 2015 the year of excellence,” said Richard Ruiz, owner and president of Ruiz Sales. “This year, part of our mission will be to introduce and promote our affordable lime bags.  Our Ruiz Sales premium-quality Mexico bagged lime packs in two-, three- and five-pound bags are the perfect-fit product for getting American families a good supply of high-quality, affordable limes that they can use in a variety of ways.”Richard Ruiz

Ruiz said it is necessary for all suppliers to raise quality standards and offer the best product at an affordable price because consumers today are more educated and demand the best quality.

“We challenge our produce industry to join us this year in making 2015 the year of excellence,” he said. “We encourage other retailers and shippers of limes to partner with us on offering consumer point-of-purchase materials and information for consumers, especially because the new modern consumers, made up of members of Generation X and Millennials, are asking for information about the foods that they are eating. Moms want to know what they are feeding their kids, the health benefits, how they can store their fruit and how to use the fruit in different dishes. As an industry, we need to create a great experience for the next two generations so that we can continue giving the benefits of fruits and vegetables to mothers and their children.”  

Ruiz added that providing better quality at affordable prices also will help increase fruit and vegetable consumption, leading to a healthier America.

“We have to provide a great eating experience so people will keep coming back,” he said. “We are in a battle with unhealthy snack foods, and we want to keep people eating produce or they might defect over to the other side. By increasing produce consumption, we are helping improve the health of the nation, which will lead to lower health-care costs for our generation and future generations.”

In order to achieve this goal, Ruiz said it is important for all facets of the produce industry to work together. This includes both suppliers and retailers, who need to work in concert to make sure the food offered to consumers is healthy, safe, traceable and affordable.

“As I have said before, this needs to be an industrywide effort, and retailers must be willing to buy only from reliable sources that offer full traceability,” he said. “Consumers today are smart, and they know what they want, and we need to meet and even exceed their expectations in order to maintain a high level of confidence in the foods we offer them.”

Ruiz Sales also will increase the standard of its food-safety certification this year, according to Ruiz.

“In the past, we have been 100 percent PrimusLabs-certified,” he said. “But this year, we are applying for PrimusGFS certification, which would allow our food-safety standards to be recognized worldwide. This would allow us to operate in Mexico, Canada, Europe, Japan and any other nation in the world that accepts the global food-safety standards of PrimusGFS.”

Role Model

Ruiz Sales was recognized with a Role Model Award for 2014 from the Produce for Better Health Foundation. This marks the third straight year the firm has been honored by PBH.

The Role Model Award is reserved for companies that meet the highest level of encouraging awareness and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and also directly support the PBH campaign by using PBH logos and materials on their packaging.

“PBH believes that the increased consumption of produce will only lead to better health and decreased medical costs in the United States, and Ruiz Sales is a proud supporter of the organization and their mission,” said Ruiz. “No other organization does more to increase consumer awareness and consumption among the entire produce industry, and we encourage all companies in the industry to join this great organization.

Ruiz was also named one of the top five PBH ambassadors, a designation which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions toward helping consumers understand the importance of fruits and vegetables.

Who’s Who

In addition to the PBH accolades, Ruiz was honored with a Latino American Who’s Who Top 100 Professional of the Year Award for 2014-15, which recognizes people of Hispanic descent who are accomplished in their industry.

Ruiz earned the award for his vision and mission to provide safe, high-quality and traceable foods, as well as for his commitment to provide consumers what they are asking for and the customer service they demand.