Ben Johnson with colleague in Mexican avocado grove.
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This Wednesday’s company spotlight is on Bridges Produce and its founder and president, Ben Johnson. The name "Bridges Produce" was chosen to evoke the image of providing a connection between farmers and markets.
Bridges Produce is a distributor of fresh, organic produce that's dedicated to promoting sustainable and socially responsible practices. The company acts as a grower’s marketing agent for midsize organic farms to market their crops to wholesalers and chain stores.
The company supplies all of the organic produce wholesalers and natural food chain stores through out California, specializing in fresh, organic tree fruit and potatoes from the Northwest and organic fruit and vegetables from Western Mexico.
About Ben, in his own words: I love working with the people in the organic produce business. It is an incredible collection of personalities, both on the grower side as well as the retail/wholesale side. It is great to get to work with people who are so passionate about great food as well as the social and environmental impacts of our food system. I am endlessly amazed by the creativity, perseverance, and inventiveness of organic farmers. I used to dream of retiring early, but I would miss all the interesting creative and dynamic people I get to talk to all day.
What gave you the idea to start Bridges Produce? After nine years in the produce business, I realized that I had hit a ceiling in what I could do working for other people. I realized that the only way to continue my personal growth and satisfy my entrepreneurial spirit was to start my own business. I considered going to get an MBA, but I knew it would be better to get on-the-job-training. I went to work for an organic produce wholesaler for a couple of years, and then went to work for a produce brokerage and importer. I considered that my “grad school.”
What challenges is Bridges Produce overcoming in these tough economic times? We are continuously competing with very large and very well capitalized companies. The fresh produce business is extremely competitive, and we must continually innovate or we lose our edge. I like to use the analogy that we are like a lizard in the age of dinosaurs. We have to find our niche. By maintaining a small size, we can stay nimble and adaptable and flourish within the safety of our little niche. The dinosaurs are the massive corporations that dominate the landscape. I like to point out that lizards are still around and dinosaurs are extinct!
What are your top three tips to thrive in these tough economic times?
- Stay lean and do it yourself, but don’t forget key investments.
- Create value. Everybody is watching their money carefully. If you are not earning your keep they will cast you aside.
- Your business plan should be strong enough to survive tough times as well as good times. If not, you should rethink your business plan. When developing and evaluating your business plan, it should be wildly profitable because you will never believe how quickly the expenses add up.
For more info: You can reach Ben Johnson at Bridges Produce, 503-235-7333, www.bridgesproduce.com.
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