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The FruitGuys is a company headquartered in South San Francisco, CA, that delivers fresh fruit to more than 3,000 businesses around the United States;〔(), "The FruitGuys: Taking on The Vending Machine," CNN.com, 2008.〕 catering to large corporations and small businesses alike, the company has counted among its clients companies ranging from Yahoo! to Wells Fargo to Yamaha. Founded by Chris Mittelstaedt, the company also has an East Coast hub in Philadelphia, PA, and a Midwest hub in Chicago, IL. From 2008-2011,〔(), "2011 Inc. 500/5000 Company Profile," Inc. Magazine, September 2011.〕 The FruitGuys were recognized as part of the ''Inc.'' 5000 list of the fastest-growing businesses in the United States. ==History== Entrepreneur Chris Mittelstaedt founded The FruitGuys in 1998. The idea surfaced as a response to complaints of weight gain and sluggishness by Mittelstaedt’s contacts at dot-com companies, who were overloading on soft drinks and snacks facing long hours in the office. Mittelstaedt believed he could boost wellness efforts in the workplace by delivering farm-fresh produce to employers, and started promoting these services within San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center.〔(), "Clever Idea, Tasty Profit" Investor's Business Daily, July 22, 2008.〕 Along with cold-calling efforts, Mittelstaedt also made appearances in a banana suit〔 on city streets to distribute free fruit and promulgate healthy eating habits. Though Mittelstaedt had somewhat of an uphill battle in light of the imminent dot-com bust and essentially starting the company from scratch,〔(), "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch," April 29, 2008.〕 The FruitGuys is today considered a pioneer in its field, having spawned numerous competitors and spearheaded a general trend toward health awareness at work. Scarcely a decade later, what started out as a two-person operation and an old Honda Civic filled with fruit has morphed into a multi-million dollar enterprise〔(), "Young Millionaires," Entrepreneur, September 2008.〕 employing approximately 40 staff〔(), "FruitGuys: How to Grow a Business and Stay Out of Trouble," CBS Money Watch, May 3, 2010.〕 Its popularity can be attributed in part to the rise of workplace wellness programs〔(), "Bosses, please replace the donuts with kiwi," Time.com, June 4, 2008.〕 and a collective desire to support local farms and organic food initiatives. Fruit is obtained locally in each region served by the FruitGuys, not only to support local agriculture but also to cut down on harmful emissions and ensure freshness. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The FruitGuys」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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