Do you have a job, or do you have a calling? A recent farm visit from a valued retail partner reminded us that for many of our employees, working at Rainier is truly their calling and they passionately share their experiences. Whether it’s harvesting, packing or shipping fruit, our team is driven by a singular passion – to provide the very best product for our retail partners and their customers. But what makes that passion unique and what really makes Rainier special is the people; they are really the heart and soul of the business that makes Rainier different from the competition.
From day one, the Zirkle family has made it their personal mission to harness this passion by fostering a supportive company culture that empowers people. It means investing in the business – in our employees’ skills, our equipment, and relationships with our retail partners. It also means investing in our people – from our community outreach programs, and in-house cafeteria, to a dedicated walking path for our employees, an on-site health clinic, access to public transportation and a host of sustainability initiatives, our people know that they are cared about. And people who are supported and empowered have time to do their jobs well and become passionate team members.
Ron Wolf, our blueberry farm manager, exemplifies the Rainier company spirit. He’s worked with us for years, and is an expert in ‘all things blueberries.’ In fact, after spending some time with Ron, our retail partner noted that “it wouldn’t take an average person long to realize he has a master’s degree in his industry based on his in depth knowledge and skill.” From our facilities manager to our entomologist to our production leads, electricians and harvest crews, you’ll find similar passion and the highest levels of performance.
Andy Tudor and Ron Wolf of Rainier Fruit
Similarly, Shane Zeutenhorst and Andy Tudor from sales and business development demonstrate that our passion for the business is contagious as they inspire our customers. They routinely host valued retail buyers on-site to experience first-hand how our passion to provide the highest quality product is infused through every part of the production process — from inspiring conversations with the likes of Ron and his peers, to demonstrating innovative equipment designs that sort the best looking, consistent sized and colored cherries.
But shipping a quality product to the store is only half our job – a true partnership with our buyers’ means finding ways to support their brand promise as well. To that end, Andy and Shane, along with our whole sales staff work with our retail partners throughout the year to ensure Rainier’s passion shines through in each store and each produce department so consumers across the country can experience for delicious fruit.
While our retailers are the experts in merchandising and promoting of products in stores, we support them by providing information about how our fruit is grown, harvested, packed and shipped, as well as take time to educate them on our company culture that focuses on the motto of “do the right thing”. In fact, on the recent site visit, our retail buyer noted that his team walked away with “so much education around the products we offer and what we do…but it was obvious that the people were the difference. It is the DNA of a winning attitude and some of the highest levels of employee pride I have ever seen.”
It’s these relationships that start with people that ultimately inspire passion at every level of the supply chain for the mutual win of the consumer who gets to enjoy our delicious fruit.
It is truly gratifying to hear that our retail partner is confident that we’re not only providing him with the best apples, pears, cherries and blueberries in the markets he serves, but that he feels we’re actively supporting him to build a business that stands for quality and value and puts people first. Our team’s passion is the living embodiment of being #WholesometotheCore.