Combs Produce is looking to the future as it builds on the past

Four years ago, Brett Combs came to the conclusion that he would need to bring in strategic partners with a track record of growing companies to take Dallas-based Combs Produce, which was founded by J.C. Combs over 50 years ago, to the next level. He found those partners in Jay Pack, formerly of Standard Fruit & Vegetable, and CIC Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm with a strong track record in produce and foodservice.

In April 2010, they brought in Chief Executive Officer Jeff Partridge, who worked with the existing team and several other newcomers to strategically plan for the next phase of Combs’ success.

“Combs has a great legacy. One that creates a tremendous foundation from which to grow,” said Mr. Partridge. “The board and leadership team spent the last six months developing a strategic plan that builds on that legacy and positions us for the future. Along the way, we have added some exceptional talent to our already high-performing team: Van Argiros, our new vice president of sales and marketing, formerly of The Produce Exchange; and Martin Moreno, formerly with Meier, who joined as new director of our Hispanic category. Collectively, we are very excited about the future.”

Part of that strategy, according to Mr. Argiros, “is to make it clear [that] our mission is delivering fresh solutions, working with the individual customer and tailoring our programs and offerings based on what the customer needs to be successful. We’re looking at business not from a transactional standpoint, but from a relationship-building standpoint. As we continue to expand our services, everything ties back to our core values: trustworthiness, dependability and an enthusiastic work environment where every associate is aligned and working for a common goal and direction.”

Chief Operating Officer Doug Dobbs is another new face, having joined Combs in August 2010. The rest of the management team includes long-time stalwarts Steve Fleming, who “was here when I got here, was our tomato buyer for 20 years and was an integral part in growing the business,” Mr. Combs said; James Baker, who “has been here since 1992 and is a significant contributor to our foodservice growth;” and Ronnie Gaubatz, head of operations and one of the original partners in the business, “who today manages the operations of our tomato division. Ronnie was integral in our food-safety program and keeping the overall operation running smoothly.”

Mr. Argiros said, “Our expanded delivery network allows us to touch seven states daily. We have an exceptional food-safety program that Brett was instrumental in putting together years ago — before most in the industry had detailed, food-safety programs in place. We take pride in the high standards we have created with our traceability and food-safety programs, and understand it’s not only a requirement but a social obligation to our customers that they are receiving the freshest and safest products daily from Combs. We are Primus Platinum certified and fully GTIN compliant.”

“Although we are known for tomatoes, our business is much more than tomatoes as we are positioning the company as a service provider that can meet the needs of our customers in a number of ways. Our vision is to be recognized as the region’s leading produce partner,” Mr. Argiros said. “By delivering fresh solutions, we are creating a company and a culture that is focused on expanded services to our customers in both foodservice and retail segments. Our services include Hispanic programs, specialty sourcing and inventory management, repacking and private-label capabilities, ripening programs, full-line sourcing, as well as short replenishment needs. By offering a wide selection of services, we have the ability to help provide solutions to our customers while growing long-standing relationships that are mutually rewarding. We believe these services and offerings will position Combs for the future, and we are excited about the opportunities in front of us.”

Combs Produce celebrating 50 years of ‘delivering freshness daily’

Combs Produce Co. LP, based in Dallas, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and its representatives are looking forward to sharing the fruits (and vegetables) of 50 years of success from booth 36 at this year’s Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Convention & Exhibition July 29-31 in Monterrey, CA.

Sr. Vice President Brett Combs told The Produce News, “We love the show. It gives us time to spend face to face with our customer group. It’s a great time to interact in a more relaxed setting than the day-to-day hustle of the produce business.”

Combs carries a full line of fruits and vegetables — from standards to exotics to locally grown offerings covering the produce spectrum — all with the pledge of “delivering freshness daily.”

From baby vegetables to exotic fruits, the Combs procurement team works tirelessly to provide a consistent supply of the freshest specialty produce items from around the world. Alongside standards like tomatoes and row crops, Combs carries hard-to-find exotics like dragon-tongue beans, breadfruit, cactus pears and huckleberries. The company also has a full lineup of herbs and Asian and Hispanic specialty items.

“Our mission is to deliver fresh solutions to the produce supply chain,” Mr. Combs said. “We pretty much sell a full line. We have a first-class distribution network that hits six states with private-label repacking, tomato repacking, avocado [and] banana ripening, the full Hispanic category, and an eager and competent sales and operations team with a mission of delivering fresh solutions.”

For the foodservice industry, “service, timeliness, quality, value, daily delivery are all pieces of our service offerings,” Mr. Combs said. “We take a broad array of items that are hard for the foodservice buyer to buy direct and we deliver them on a daily basis. This could include repacks, ripening of avocados or freight, for example.”

Combs also offers repacking services, breaks-splits, ripening and private labeling — all with a focus squarely on food safety. The company is a PrimusLabs Platinum Supplier and American Institute of Baking certified, and “our single most important business initiative is the safety of our products. For 10 years, we have invested in a comprehensive food-safety program, long before our colleagues saw the need,” Mr. Combs said. “We knew how important it was, not only for the financial security of our own company, but for the financial security of our customers as well as the health and wellness of the consumers, whose food choices flowed through our hands. While it has not been the most cost-efficient way to run our business, we fully believe that our continued investment in food safety eliminates risk down the road.”

Combs Produce only purchases products from reputable suppliers that are compliant with Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices. The company maintains a strict cold chain from warehouse to delivery, and all trucks are refrigerated at optimum temperatures that are constantly monitored.

The warehouse and equipment are cleaned and sanitized daily, random sampling of wash water ensures cleanliness and regular mock recalls make sure all processes are in place and personnel are adequately equipped. And Combs can provide detailed information on individual boxes of product from the point of origin to the delivery point.

Combs recently added a new vice president of sales, Van Arigiros, who will be joining the company in time for the PMA show. And Martin Morenos has come aboard as director of the Hispanic category.