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
Conventional vs. Organic Fresh Fruit Delivery: What’s Right for Your Office?
Fresh fruit delivery for the office just makes sense. Studies show that eating whole fruits can bring employees all kinds of health benefits, from a
The FruitGuys Partners with RTW to Feed Chicago Veterans
Every Thursday morning, Wilbert Taylor pulls up to The FruitGuys’ Chicago warehouse in his truck. He pops open the back, says hello to Receiving Supervisor
Are Oranges Good for Weight Loss? A Dietitian Shares the Facts
The rise of trendy, low-carb diets like keto and paleo has led many people to rethink which foods are healthy—including fresh fruit. Oranges, a classic
Is ‘Nudging’ the Secret to Promoting Wellness In the Workplace?
Last week, I flew to New York to attend the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management’s Critical Issues Conference. I had a great time meeting
Meet Fair & Square: AAPI-Owned, Gluten-Free Snacks for the Office
In some ways, Alex Duong’s cracker brand, Fair & Square, is a metaphor for his Asian American identity. He grew up eating Chinese food at
Parenting Is Bananas—This Fruit Poem Proves It!
In the last 24 hours of their spring break, my boys have played about a dozen board games, built a fort using every pillow and
