“The customer always comes first” is a classic motto, but it has kept one Hanover company in business for more than 200 years.
Conrad Ruhl founded George Ruhl & Sons as a water-powered wheat mill in 1789. Six generations later, the company is still family-owned and operated.
George Ruhl, 61, now owns the company in Hanover, the oldest wholesale bakery supply house in America offering more than 2,000 products.
“With the advent of the automobile and larger mills like Pillsbury, the feed business became a thing of the past,” Ruhl said.
Since Ruhl acquired the company in 1972, 15 competitors merged or closed shop. European conglomerates bought many of them. Ruhl?s business outlasted most he said, because “people like dealing with a locally owned business that they know and trust.”
Ruhl?s customers operate bakeries in Maryland, Washington, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The company stands out not only because of its age, he said, but its quality products and business strategy.
Ruhl offers restaurants and bakeries next-day deliveryin refrigerated trucks, including pounds of chocolate, baking mixes, frozen ingredients and baking ware to “meet your every baking need.”
Ruhl employed two of his three children to help run the company. Bill Ruhl, 30, is vice president of operations, and Erin Ruhl, 35, serves as vice president of sales.
“Being honest and treating customers with respect” has kept the company stable, said Erin Ruhl. “If we make a mistake, we correct it.”
“The food industry isn?t going to get you rich, but you can make a good living,” Ruhl said, depending on how you handle customers.
The Ruhls aren?t showing any sign of slowing down or selling out. Though they considered offers to buy the company in the past, Ruhl turned them down because he “never wanted to be the one to break” the chain.
Erin is thankful they never did.
“We plan to pass down the company to our children and continue the tradition,” for perhaps another two centuries, she said.
George R. Ruhl and Son Inc.
» What: Wholesale baking supplies
» Address: 7451 Race Road, Hanover
» Telephone: 410-796-0203
» Web site: www.grruhl.com
