On February 16, 1998, we made our first deliveries of mixed fruit boxes to companies in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center from Chris Mittelstaedt & Pia Hinckle’s one-bedroom apartment in the North Beach neighborhood.
We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs through the decades (can you say Dot Com crash? Financial meltdown? Global pandemic?). We are still here, still family-owned, and now a women-owned and led proud B Corporation. We are so grateful to our present and past employees, clients, farm partners, vendors, and community partners for getting us here. Thank you all!!
How did it all start?
Hear The FruitGuys story straight from the OG Chief Banana, founder Chris Mittelstaedt
(circa 2014)
FruitGuys History Gallery
25 Years of Innovations & Awards
National Fruit at Work Day
The FruitGuys started National Fruit at Work Day, celebrated the first Tuesday of October, to promote the health and productivity benefits of consuming whole fresh fruit during the workday.
The FruitGuys was recognized by Inc. magazine for its efforts to fight food insecurity in the U.S..
25 Years of Impact
Since 1998, The FruitGuys has been on a mission to support small farms and combat hunger. Purchasing from The FruitGuys helps sustain the small independent farmers we source from, helps feed people and heal the planet.
We support this mission by donating a minimum value of 20% of our annual profits.
- 18 million+ servings of fruit, veggies & snacks donated
- 123 grants to small farms in 30+ states
Our 5Rs Promise
Your happiness and satisfaction is our top priority. If you’re ever not satisfied with what you have received, we will replace or credit you for those items. This goal of pleasing you is more than just a policy, it’s a five-step philosophy of customer care that we’ve built our business on and that guides our actions everyday.
- We’ll be Respectful of you at all times.
- We’ll be Responsive to your needs.
- We’ll be Realistic with you about what we can or cannot do.
- We’ll take personal Responsibility to provide a positive experience.
- We’ll work hard so that you’ll Remember us positively.
The FruitGuys 5Rs © Chris Mittelstaedt, 1999
The FruitGuys Magazine
Fun Valentine’s Day Activities for Work: Ideas for Happy Employees
According to a 2024 survey of 800 workers, almost 74% of men and 66% of women “crave more meaningful bonds with work colleagues.” Holidays are
The FruitGuys Donates Fresh Fruit to LA Firefighters and Evacuees
I had a plan for what to write in this week’s Chief Banana blog—but the truth is, I haven’t been able to think about much
Should We Rename Fresh Blood Oranges?
In 2023, a post circulating on the social media platform Reddit kicked off intense citrus discourse. The photo, captioned “Raspberry Oranges,” showed a peeled orange
Farming Grants for Small Farms: Applications Are Open for 2025
I’m happy to report that our 2025 grant cycle is now open! Each year since 2012, The FruitGuys Community Fund (TFGCF) has had the joy and pleasure
2025 Real Leaders Impact Awards: The FruitGuys Is a ‘Top Impact Company’
Every year, the global media and membership platform Real Leaders® hands out awards to companies that act as forces of good in the world and
Back in Office? 6 Ways to Reignite Culture and Engagement
After years of remote and hybrid setups, many organizations are finalizing (or re-finalizing) their return-to-office (RTO) plans with productivity, culture, and engagement in mind. These
