"Every game means so much,” Ryan Sanchez tells me. “In a season where you only have 17 games, each win and loss matters. Every decision is critical. In baseball, you have 162, and in basketball, there are 82 games. So, you lose a few, and it is no big deal. In football, every move gives you an edge or takes it from you.”
You cannot walk away from a conversation with Ryan without feeling the intensity of his concentration, dedication, and passion for the things he loves. Be it the Las Vegas Raiders or fresh produce. As he speaks to me about the NFL team he has been following relentlessly since he was eight years old, it is easy to forget that he is speaking of sports, and it is perfectly reasonable to believe he is talking about produce. An industry where every single decision matters.
“I love the competition of football. I’m very competitive. Some people consider me intense, and I am naturally hyper,” Ryan, Produce Sales Manager for Albertsons and Vons, shares. “I am not sure exactly where it all started. I grew up in Los Angeles when the Raiders were here, so I naturally started following them. By the mid-90s, I just fell in love.”
“Focus on things you can control: Work hard, be punctual, listen, remain open-minded and a team player, and, most importantly, remember that this is a people business.”
Ryan Sanchez, Produce Sales Manager, Albertsons and Vons
This fascination with the Raiders is a perfect fit for Ryan, a man who drinks freshly squeezed celery juice each morning instead of coffee and who wakes up at 3:30 in the morning when the sunrise is still a distant hum. While most people are rolling over in bed to get in one last REM cycle, Ryan is visualizing the day ahead. He sees the field and all its players, anticipates as much as one can in an industry like this, and builds a strategy for not only understanding what obstacles may arise but also how to proactively handle them differently.
He considers himself a very simple person when it comes to the things he loves. I would argue that this simplicity allows an unyielding focus, relentless dedication, and unrivaled passion for elevating and honoring each of his treasured priorities.
Hours later, on the northern side of the state in Sacramento—later than 3:30 a.m. but not by much—I sift through my interview with Ryan. I find his words like a black cup of coffee; their passion rising from the page, bringing together the pieces of his mythos, awakening this story.
“I love what I do and who I work with, and I feel that’s what drives me to work an endless amount of hours and what helps me be successful. Part of that joy and love comes from having fun at work. I take what I do very seriously, but you also have to have a balance, and that balance helps you get through the challenging times. And it makes the great times even better,” Ryan shared with me before discussing a mindset that has allowed him to maneuver nearly 30 years in fresh produce. “Focus on things you can control: Work hard, be punctual, listen, remain open-minded and a team player, and, most importantly, remember that this is a people business. Therefore, treat people right internally and externally as you will create lifelong relationships in this industry without knowing it.”
While Ryan is confident in this advice, he is quick to tell me that his way of living has come from many lessons learned in both success and failure. Some days you wake up on the five-yard line, other days you are on the 80.
Ryan’s game started early in his youth, right out of high school.
Every produce path begins with a first step. For some, it is a calling, and for others, it is a road that takes shape through wins and losses, passion and grit. For Ryan, it was both.
“I got into produce during the mid-90s because it was ‘the job’ in the grocery store to have,” Ryan says with a smile. “While bagging groceries, I was offered numerous promotions into other departments, but I was holding out for produce. Once I got into produce, I fell in love with it—the colors, merchandising, seasonality, ever-changing nature of the business, competitiveness, the people, importance to the overall store success, all of it.”
“I love merchandising. I feel it’s what separates you from your competition. Everyone is going to have the majority of the same items; it’s how you merchandise the product to capture customers’ attention and help drive the business.”
As Ryan gained experience and knowledge, he advanced to Albertsons, where he now holds the position of Produce Sales Manager for Albertsons and Vons. During his time at the company, Ryan has skillfully introduced innovations without disrupting the status quo. His unique ability to balance the introduction of new ideas with the stability of existing systems is truly remarkable, and it reassures us about the industry’s future.
In a space like fresh produce, some qualities contribute to the propensity for success. Agility. Fastidiousness. Foresight. Mental acuity. Leadership. As a lifelong Raiders fan, I can see why these qualities resonate with him, and perhaps why the underdog mystique, rich and rebellious legacy, and no-nonsense approach to the game suit him.
And much like the planning and pregame of football, navigating the lay of the land for fresh produce is something Ryan loves to strategize.
“I love merchandising. I feel it’s what separates you from your competition. Everyone is going to have the majority of the same items; it’s how you merchandise the product to capture customers’ attention and help drive the business,” Ryan shares. “I have a responsibility not just to produce but to the overall business as produce is a big piece of the pie. I own that responsibility and take pride in the fact that my company trusts me with it. There is intense competition throughout the grocery business, and I am a very competitive person who will do whatever it takes to succeed.”
As Ryan carved out his route in fresh produce, he was blessed to have mentors who provided invaluable guidance along the way.
“I have been fortunate to have multiple mentors and people that I’ve looked up to during my career,” Ryan begins. “First off, my dad, who was a store director for Safeway, Pavilions, and Vons, showed me that hard work pays off and proved it by providing a good life for my brother, sister, and me.”
Enrique Mesa, who was Ryan’s Produce Manager, taught him everything there is to know about produce, and he continues to share knowledge with Ryan when needed.
“Robby Cruz, who is the Vice President of Produce and Floral for Target, and was my supervisor when I became a Floral Merchandiser, has also helped me become the leader I am today,” Ryan expresses. “He has always had a hands-on approach. No matter what role he has had in a company, I have and still look up to Robby!”
Without a doubt, the most significant influences in Ryan’s life are his family and friends.
“This industry is challenging, and we are in it together. Knowing you have partnerships to rely on when needed is priceless! I can’t keep track of how many times a grower, vendor, or broker has been there for me when needed, and I will always pay it back. That is true partnership.”
“My first passion in life is my family. My wife, Sandy, and kids, Melaine (18), Ryan Raider (15), and Emily (10) are the reasons why I wake up at 3:30 a.m. to go to work every day, work in the evening hours, weekends, holidays, etc. It is my job to provide a good life for my family, just like my dad and mom did for my siblings and me,” Ryan explains.
When I ask Ryan what pivotal or defining moments have shaped his career, along with those of his mentors, he shares a surprising and impactful story.
“Back in 2009, when I was a Produce Merchandiser, the company had cutbacks, and I had the lowest amount of seniority on the team. I had to go back to the store level as a Produce Manager,” Ryan reveals. “I have a lot of pride, so that was tough for me, but I didn’t let that stop me from being successful. After nine months back as a Produce Manager, I was approached about becoming a Floral Merchandiser, and my initial response was, ‘Are you crazy, I don’t know anything about floral except that the product comes on the produce load!’ After thinking about it, I knew I could do the job. I was a leader of people, and I would learn the floral piece of the job in a timely manner, as I am driven to be successful. I ended up working as a Merchandiser and Sales Manager in floral for 11 years and loved every minute of it. I truly believe my time in floral helped me become a better leader. I proved to myself and others that I could make this change and be successful in doing so. I have always told myself, sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to get where you want to go.”
In 2020, there was an opening for a Produce Sales Manager in the Southern California Division, and Ryan knew this was his chance to get back into produce.
“I had to make a tough decision: to pursue Produce Sales Manager or stay in my current Floral Sales Manager position and continue to prepare to go into a national floral position, which one day would lead to the Vice President of Floral,” Ryan shares. “Obviously, I chose to pursue a dream of mine and lead the So Cal produce division. If I weren’t in produce, I would definitely be in floral.”
Through the wins and the losses, Ryan attributes his success, resilience, and love of the industry to the people who participate in its wild and crazy ride.
“It’s all about people. I cannot stress enough how important building relationships and partnerships is, as those partnerships truly come into play when either the vendor or retailer needs a little help with cost and/or volume to make something happen,” Ryan says. “This industry is challenging, and we are in it together. Knowing you have partnerships to rely on when needed is priceless! I can’t keep track of how many times a grower, vendor, or broker has been there for me when needed, and I will always pay it back. That is true partnership.”
Whether you are just beginning to map your own route in fresh produce or finding your foothold in leadership, Ryan shares some beautiful touchstones that can help guide your way.
“Listen, listen, and listen some more! There are so many smart people in the produce industry, and I learned early on that I don’t know everything,” he says, pausing to gather his thoughts. “If you truly listen when having conversations with people, you will always learn something, and it will help you create ways to get better every day. I will probably take some grief for saying this: I enjoy vendor/grower meetings, as I always learn so much. These professionals are skilled in their craft, and they have a passion for what they do that is contagious. Listen, listen, and listen some more!”
Ryan ends this thought by telling me to be willing to take chances; know that not every idea will be successful, but you will never make a shot you don’t take.
“Change is always going to happen in the produce industry, and we need to be ready to adapt to the change. Don’t fight it, change is inevitable,” Ryan says. “Lean into it.”
When every game, conversation, negotiation, and comeback is high-stakes, Ryan knows that you don’t work against your industry; you work with it.
We are listening, Ryan. We are definitely listening. 
