Chris Mittelstaedt's Success Story

Founder of The Fruitguys

Chris Mittelstaedt is the owner of The Fruitguys, a company in South San Francisco, California which supplies high quality, fresh produce to over 3000 businesses all over the United States. It is already a million dollar business right now and he has achieved this level of success at the age of 41. But his company has seen pretty rough times in the past. When the dotcom bubble burst, his company was left with a bad debt to the tune of $50,000 as a result of the damage suffered by his company’s regional fruit delivery business. Chris was also himself left with personal debt of $100,000. So he had to restructure his business by expanding it nationwide and enforcing stricter credit policies and incorporating variable costs.

It was an adversity that made him start his fruit business in the first place, just over a decade ago. He was earning just $9.50 per hour holding a temporary job and his wife had become pregnant. He immediately launched his business and started putting his heart and soul into it to make it flourish. He worked for 18 hours everyday starting his work at midnight. He lugged heavy crates himself and delivered them personally to his clients. His hard work really paid off and the company grew in profits. And that is when the dotcom crisis hit and plunged his business into debt.


Chris’ father was a pilot as well as an entrepreneur. During a flight in a Cessna aircraft when Chris was a child, he taught him the importance of looking out for early indications any kind of trouble while flying. After his financial loss, Chris took that advice to heart and became a much shrewder businessman. It has helped him to expand his business to reach clients all across the US. His company is also totally focused on the welfare of the community. They lend help to low income communities in various regions. They work with farmers and help them to develop sustainable businesses.

Chris Mittelstaedt attributes his success to his perseverance. Although he needed to work long hours and do physically strenuous work carrying and delivering crates, he never gave up his dream of making it big in the fruit business. He also advices entrepreneurs not to give up on their vision until they see their dreams fulfilled. Even after his immense success, the only reward he has given himself is a new Prius.