At Ruiz Sales, quality and service are the guiding principles that drive every product it produces and every service it offers. To meet that goal of excellence, the Edinburg, TX-based distributor of tropical produce items from Mexico, employs a well-trained, highly educated and specialized workforce that can collaborate and work together as team and with its Mexican grower-partners alike.Richard Ruiz

“We believe that when the customer gets the very best premium quality product and receives a good experience with our produce, it encourages them to not only become repeat customers, but also consume more fresh produce as a whole,” said Richard Ruiz, president. “We have very high standards of excellence that we require all of our team members to meet, including our Mexican grower-partners.  We support any organization that has a strict commitment to training, education and research, and this is why we are very proud supporters of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.”

Ruiz said there is no individual or organization in the industry that is doing more for consumers in terms of education, awareness and data gathering than PBH, and he believes that the role that the foundation plays in the produce industry is vital to its future success and growth.

“We want acknowledge and thank the Produce for Better Health Foundation for their outstanding efforts at education and consumer outreach, as well as their wonderful consumer research program,” he said. “Ruiz Sales has been a proud member of PBH for the past five years, and we’ve won PBH’s prestigious Role Model Award for the past three years. In addition, I’ve been named a PBH Ambassador to help extend the outreach of this foundation. There is currently no other foundation that is doing more to educate consumers about the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables and helping companies connect with consumers, so that we can have a better understanding of the things our customers are demanding from us.”  

The produce industry is the first line of defense — and the best solution — for the rising healthcare costs in America, according to Ruiz, who said that many healthcare problems can be linked to poor nutrition, and by providing customers with the products they want, the industry can raise produce consumption in America, which will lower health care costs.

“Premium quality and safe produce is the best preventative care medicine, and it’s a natural way to make you healthier,” said Ruiz. “According to the Congressional Budget Office, the United States spends more than $831 billion a year on health care costs — more than 24 percent of our national budget and more than four times the amount spent on interest for the national debt. If we were to cut our health care costs in half, we would be able to easily pay back our debt in a few years, which would help make America a debt-free nation to safeguard the next four generations. PBH plays a critical role in convincing consumers to eat more produce and helping suppliers and retailers reach more people, so that we can combat the rising health care costs in the America.”

Ruiz has long maintained that premium-quality product that is fully traceable is a better value for consumers than lower-priced mediocre product, as it will result in repeat sales and keep consumers safe and healthy.

“As an industry, we have a responsibility to our customers and the American people, a responsibility to provide the best, healthiest, highest quality safe food that we possibly can,” he said. “We also need retailers to train their employees to provide the best customer service and experience they possibly can.  The customer needs to feel assured that the retailer and their employees are knowledgeable on the produce that they are selling, and it will make customers want to return to the store if they trust the store and its employees. We continue to encourage everyone in our industry — our grower-partners, other distributors, retailers and foodservice companies — to join us in providing the best possible product we can to our consumers and their families. If we do that, we can provide people with a positive customer experience that will drive up sales by ensuring repeated business from satisfied customers, and new business from the reputation that our industry can develop.”  

Ruiz believes the produce industry has the power to make some real, positive changes in America and encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables, in concert with organizations like PBH.

“PBH has been a great asset for the entirety of the produce industry, and we thank them for all their hard work and everything they do to help us become a healthier America,” he said. “We encourage all members of our produce industry to join the PBH Foundation in order to help accomplish its mission of education, awareness and increased consumption.”