Our Non-perishable values

The Berry Man, Inc. Who are we? We are an enthusiastic bunch, dedicated to making people like you happy. Every day we show up at this office, this warehouse, and we brainstorm. We talk about how we can make today even better than yesterday. You would be surprised at how fast the pace is in a produce company. The offices are busy with salespeople, front desk reps, drivers & packers. Buy, sell, move—it sounds like the stock market floor! The phones ring off the hook all day. One major reason is our service model. At the Berryman, you can call all day. If you need something, we will dispatch a truck or sales person, and we will get it to you. It is unheard of, to service all day, every day, but it works here. It is why we are so successful. If you ever ask the owner, Guy De Mangeon, if that will ever change, you will get an affirmative NO! He knows that this is one of the many things that sets the Berryman apart, and in business, you have to set yourself apart. It’s a company built on customer service. Not just customer service, but customer service to the nth degree! “If it grows we will find it, and by all means we will get it for you ASAP. “

We believe in collaboration and innovation. We are a team. We have a simple model. Just say yes! Produce is a complicated business and working with product that has a short window for perfection is inherently challenging. The market for produce is ever changing, prices for produce change every day based on supply and demand. The product is not static, there is no single defining standard for a product—one person’s idea of what something should be, is not necessarily the same as another. Just as there are endless styles of cooking, there are as numerous variations in Mother Nature.

Another factor for our success is our president, Les Clark. With the constant market fluctuations, perishability, and downright standard for excellence, you would think he would be riddled with stress, but he is not. In 8 years, I have never seen him stressed. He cares for sure, but he understands the importance of effective leadership and that it requires a calm demeanor. The guy re- built his plane and flew it. For that you gotta have faith that things are gonna work out! He reminds us constantly, that things will always work out.

Another key player in our cast of characters is our general manager, Jean Pierre Jammet. His humor has surely calmed me in moments of high anxiety, reminding me to not get too serious, and by all means don’t go down with the ship. He is always smiling, and his happy whistling can be heard throughout the building. There are really too many people to list. I love them all! I don’t know if everyone is as lucky as I am, to go to work every day excited! I hope you all can say that come Sunday, after 2 days off you can’t wait to go back to work because it really is not work when you love what you do!

These values are what allow us to thrive and grow. We keep our motto simple “the customer first” and give your employees a reason to smile as they walk through the company doors every day! Nothing really compares to the feeling I get in the late afternoon, when a fresh shipment of heirloom tomatoes or micro-thin French beans arrive—so perfect, you have to taste them on the spot! It’s a beautiful thing to see the abundance firsthand, and to know and appreciate the tremendous amount of effort it took to get it to us. So, no matter how crazy the day can get, and how driven we are toward perfection, it’s really my dream job! Selling produce isn’t glamorous, but it is cool! Oh, and if I had a dollar for every time I say I work at The Berry Man and I hear, “ oh, I see your blue trucks everywhere,” I’d be a very rich girl!

Cory