While most entrepreneurs find success filling a demand, Chris Mittelstaedt created one. Over the last two decades, he has grown The FruitGuys, turning office fruit delivery into a national phenomenon. Developed in part to improve the unhealthy routines of dot-com office workers, The FruitGuys pioneered quick and efficient access to better alternatives in a culture subsistent on caffeine, chocolate and soda.
Before the crash, Mittelstaedt’s delivery service thrived: some of the first ripples in a larger trend towards healthy eating. As part of the dot-com ecosystem, however, The FruitGuys was subject to catastrophe when the bubble burst. The business survived, but not unscathed. Mittelstaedt was faced with the challenge of downsizing.
His defensive strategy paid off, however, and when the dust settled, The FruitGuys rebounded with the added resiliency of a considerably larger and more diverse customer base.
After 20 years of tenacity, creativity and perseverance, The FruitGuys have earned the favour of thousands of businesses across the United States.
