“Every day we talk about how it is all about hard work,” said Jimmy Myrick, a vice president and second-generation operator of the company that was founded by his father Edward in 1976. “From day one, my father worked hard and instilled in me and the other guys who work here the importance of getting the job done. That is why we say here that there are no days off in this business and why we believe that my father’s philosophy of hard work has really helped us succeed through the years.”
In fact, Myrick is proud to note that his dad, at the age of 85, still comes into the office every day and remains extremely involved in the overall operation.
Of course, there is much more to the success of Myrick Produce than just hard work. Myrick, who joined the company straight out of college more than 30 years ago, added that the company has the good fortune of working with a great group of farmers who really care about what they are doing and take tremendous pride in the produce they grow.
“Our farmers do the best they can all the time, that includes sometimes dealing with extreme weather,” he noted. “We represent about 10 farmers out of our Pompano facility, as well as farmers out of Honduras and elsewhere. All told, the company represents about 25 different farmers.”
Edward Myrick was a truck broker when he decided to move into the produce category nearly 50 years ago and formed his business in Pompano Beach. “Through the years, my dad followed the seasons up the road, going from Florida to South Carolina and Virginia and up to New Jersey,” Myrick said. “In the early 1980s, he hired his first salesperson to help him. I came aboard after that and we just kept growing the company. Now, with about 35 employees, we operate all the way up to Michigan.”
Still, Myrick emphasized that the company’s overall strategy is one of slow and consistent expansion. “We are a very farmer-focused operation,” he added. “Our top goal is to try to do what is in the best interests of our farmers all the time. For us, that means securing the best prices and distribution with good, solid partners. We also listen to our farmers, what they need and what ideas they have to maximize sales and profits.”
Myrick said company officials have a hard time identifying exactly what the company is. Stressing that Myrick Produce will do business with supermarkets, wholesalers and anyone else that will benefit its farmers, he called the operation “part packers, shippers and distributors and just about anything else that works.
“That is one of our major qualities,” Myrick continued. “We are very diverse in what we can do. That helps draw a wide range of customers who see that we can do what they need us to do and it makes us more flexible. In the end, our farmers get the best deals.”
Myrick Produce focuses on cucumbers, peppers, squash and winter squash, green beans, eggplant, pickles, hot peppers and strawberries.
“We truly believe that our future is bright.” Myrick said. “We have been expanding and always looking for new opportunities. That growth could be out west, up north or just about anywhere.”
