President George W. Bush visits Ruiz Foods in 2003, taking time to pose with employee Urbalina Almeida and Fred Ruiz.
WHEN RUIZ FOODS chairman and co-founder Fred Ruiz talks about the special guest who visited his company’s plant in November 2003, he sounds very much like the proud father of 1,900.
PHOTO COURTESY RUIZ FOODS
“We invited President [George W.] Bush to help us celebrate our 40th anniversary,” says Ruiz. “Much to our surprise and delight, he accepted.”
fighting back tears of joy, they never would have tears of pride, tears that a thought that was possible.” dad sheds when talking One employee in particu-about his children. lar was determined to make
“They asked us to put 300 the most of the unique oppor-of our team members behind tunity. Urbalina Almeida, a the podium,” Ruiz recalls. customer-service file clerk at “These were people who had Ruiz Foods for more than 20 been with us for 10 years or years, insisted on having her more. And after the president picture taken with Ruiz and spoke, he went back and the president. Undaunted by a started shaking hands and sea of Secret Service agents, hugging our team members. she pulled Bush by the arm to And it was, from my perspec- get him to pose beside her. tive, very, very special. “Urbalina grabbed us
Two years ago, the company came up with the Birthday Club. Eight times per month—each and every month—Kim or Bryce can be found cutting birthday cake, greeting employees and lending an attentive ear anytime from 4 a.m. to midnight, depending upon which work shift is celebrating. They commemorate team member birthdays with gifts, cake and, of course, food. During this time, employees are encouraged to give positive or negative feedback about their work experience.
More than 90 percent of the company’s workforce is Hispanic—many of whom came to the United States with dreams no bigger than earning enough money to feed their families. When he was asked what the president’s visit meant to him, Ruiz unexpectedly began
“It allows us to shake hands with each and every team member throughout the year,” Kim explains. “We try to communicate the company values. But if people feel like we’re not operating according to these values, we have an open-door policy.”
“Here’s the president of both and pulled us together,” the United States, and he’s Ruiz laughs. “It was a great hugging them and shaking moment for her, and for all their hands. In their lifetime, of us.”—MES
Ruiz Foods has more than 300 employees who have been with the team for more than 10
years—many have remained for more than 30 years. Nearly 10 percent of the workforce is made throughout the U.S. and Canada. Incredibly, all of up of second-generation employees. “Every time their products are still hand-rolled. that we have brought in a new piece of equipment And Ruiz Foods continues to grow. The com- that is going to eliminate jobs, we tell them that pany plans to open a second manufacturing facility they should never be threatened by progress,” Fred in Texas later this year. says. “We have to be more productive or else we’ll
The Dinuba plant operation—from ingredient lose our competitive edge. But at the same time, preparation to baking to cooking to process filling we’ve never fired anybody because of automation.” to hand-rolling every product to packaging to the It’s all part of the family environment that flash-freezing process—has a beehive-like efficiency. father and son spent years cultivating. “You’ve got all A tour of the plant reveals not only a well-oiled these people who work very hard for you,” says Fred, machine at work, but also a family-like atmosphere. whose other two children, Kelly and Matt, are on the
“All of our team members work very industri- company’s board of directors and work at the plant ously at their jobs. It’s amazing to watch,” says Ruiz. during the summer, respectively. “We’ve got every- “If you’re looking for a 9-to- 5 [job], you ought to body here, so why not take advantage of that by not come to work at Ruiz Foods. You can’t grow a teaching them how to write a check, or how to bor-business working 9 to 5. It’s all about extra effort, row money, or reading or writing or English. It’s a and that has to come through your people.” no-brainer. That’s my job as the head of a company:
How can I improve the lives of our team members?”
Building trust and tradition Even seasoned employees, such as production
The Ruiz family insists on an honest day’s work, supervisor Rosa Alexander, continue to receive off-
but they also give a lot in return. Two years ago, the the-job training.
company created a housing program called Una “We continue to take leadership courses on
Casa Para Mi Familia (“A House for My Family”), improving our communication skills, how to deal
which helps employees and their families learn the with difficult people, team building and how to com-
process of buying a home. municate with co-workers,” says Alexander, 42, who
“Many people who come to this country don’t began her Ruiz Foods career 24 years ago as an entry-understand concepts like saving money, opening a level packer. She now oversees a 200-person crew. “If checking account and creating a budget to help you you really want to put forth the effort, the company is save for a down payment on a home,” explains Bryce more than willing to go the extra mile for you.”
Ruiz, Ruiz Foods executive vice president, supply “They show me the same respect today as they chain, and Fred’s son. “We help them plan strategies did years ago,” Fernando Velez says. “You are never for bettering their lives outside of the workplace.” treated like just another number around here.” C
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