At Suiza Dairy Corp., employees strive to make the firm the “first choice” in its market. “We seek to satisfy the needs of our clients and consumers with high quality services and products,” Marketing Manager Carol G. Rodriguez says.
Based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the company is the top manufacturer and distributor of dairy products, juices and fruit beverages in its home country, she says. Originally, Suiza Dairy started operations in 1942 and grew to become the first milk plant in Puerto Rico to obtain the U.S. FDA approval to process Grade A milk.
Today, Suiza Dairy operates two modern plants with machines that package hundreds of units per minute, Rodriguez says. In addition, the company is the leader of Puerto Rico’s milk industry with 65 percent share of market.
“This leadership is the result of discipline and [a] corporate vision that anticipates the changes of the market, the consumer and their tendencies, and the right reaction before the changes,” she says. “We gather our fresh milk from 174 farmers around the island to obtain an average of 2.9 million quarts per week.”
Suiza Dairy also has the biggest refrigerated products sales force in Puerto Rico, with 198 sellers and 91 merchandisers. More than 890 employees in five distribution centers and two manufacturing plants on the island are responsible for serving more than 5,670 clients in Puerto Rico.
“More than 83 percent of our consumers recognize the Suiza brand,” Rodriguez says. “We work too hard to continue our leadership in Puerto Rico, thus guaranteeing the added value to our clients and consumers.”
Success Through Diversity
Suiza Dairy’s variety of products has helped keep it successful. “We are proud to arrive day by day to each corner of our island, offering a variety of quality products that provide convenience, health and wellness,” Rodriguez says. “This means nutrition for more life to our clients and consumers.”
In addition to whole, light, skim, chocolate and lactose free milk, the company’s products include yogurt, American cheese slices, white cheese, creams, fruit beverages, juices not from concentrate, juice from concentrate and belly washes; with top brands that lead the dairy, fruit beverages and juice categories, Rodriguez says.
Strong Bonds
Suiza Dairy focuses strongly on forming bonds with its communities, Rodriguez says. “The relations between Suiza Dairy Corp. with the communities in our immediate environment and society have become increasingly important and are to be maintained at the highest level of cordiality,” she says.
To achieve this, Suiza Dairy is involved with such activities as community outreach, infrastructure improvements, educational seminars, and it supports sports leagues like the National Superior Basketball League and junior basketball leagues.
“It is also worth mentioning that one of our commitments is working with people suffering in hospitals and from natural disasters,” she says.
Last year, the company’s employees sent a donation to the American Red Cross and visited different groups needing social support, providing breakfast, snacks, orientation, educational material and gifts.
Suiza Dairy also takes part in protecting the environment. “In this regard, Suiza maintains an ongoing program of renewal of treatment systems in compliance with international standards,” she says. “This type of investment is constant and permanent. Also, Suiza maintains many programs to help our customers to learn about the importance of [caring for] the environment as reforestation activities and plastic recycle seminars.”
Continued Innovation
Looking ahead, Suiza Dairy plans for growth, including extension of its plant capacity and improvement in its production processes, Rodriguez says. “Suiza Dairy will continue innovating its products and services for our customers and consumers, and ensure the growth and strengthening of its domestic operations and opportunities to impact new markets,” she says.
“As part of our culture of constant improvement, we will continue evaluating new business opportunities to get the maximum benefit from the synergies,” she says. “Also, we will continue implementing initiatives to encourage the development of sustainable programs.”