One of the First Pioneers Who Brought Mexican Avocados to the U.S., Michael Spinner, VP of Global Frozen Foods

Nick: 00:00:02

There are a million ways to make money in the food service industry. You just have to find one. On the Titans of Food Service podcast.

I interview real life movers and shakers in the food game who cut through all the noise to get to the top. My name is Nick Portillo and welcome to the Titans of Food Service podcast. Let's jump right into it.

Welcome back to another episode of Titans of Food Service. I'm your host, Nick Portillo and thank you for joining me on another. Another episode, please.

If you're enjoying the show, if you can leave me a five star review, whether that's on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere you get your podcast, that would mean the world to me. So thank you. Okay. On this episode, I'm joined by a true pioneer in the produce world, Michael Spinner. He's the vice president of Global Frozen Foods.

He has had a fascinating career and he's a great storyteller. You're going to love this episode.

He was one of the early trailblazers of bringing Mexican avocados here to the US at one point, it wasn't even illegal to be able to sell the imported avocados into the United States and he was actually there up in the Northeast when the very first truck of fresh avocados made its way to be sold here in the US So pretty cool. Global Frozen Foods where he works, it's a company that's become a one stop shop for high quality fruits and vegetables.

They do both fresh and frozen and they deliver produce solutions that keep businesses thriving while staying competitive in today's market. In our conversation, Michael shares stories from his early days, which is really fun and fascinating.

He's a great storyteller to now hear in current day as to what he's up to in the produce world now. Without further ado, let's go ahead and welcome Michael. All right, Michael, welcome to the Titans of Food Service podcast.

I appreciate you taking time to come on and, and join me.

Michael: 00:01:53

Well, thank you, Nick, and pleasure to be here and I appreciate the invitation. And, and you know, it's funny, I think I may have met your father some years ago, John. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

Nick: 00:02:06

I'm sure.

Michael: 00:02:06

I know he's proud of you for doing such great work over the years of building this business. You're doing a great job.

Nick: 00:02:11

Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, he's been in the food service business now for over 30 years, so he's, he's been in it for a minute.

So, yeah, I'm sure you guys have met at some Point. You're down in San Diego.

Michael: 00:02:23

Yeah, I'm here in San Diego, Exactly.

Nick: 00:02:26

All right. How'd you get into the food business?

Michael: 00:02:29

That's interesting. You mentioned it was almost serendipitous. I was in other businesses, other sales endeavors.

Actually started off in cable television, syndicated programming in New York during the 70s. You know, this podcast is almost a bit of a memory of that. Reality shows, before anybody knew what that was.

And we started with an audience of like 20,000, and then grew to like, 2 million. I was working nightclubs in order to substantiate all that. Then I had a son, and my wife said, get a real job or I'm leaving you.

rom there came to California.: 1985

And young man, how to get into this business had the concept, the idea, very innovative at the time. You could not import the entire avocado from Mexico. It was preventionist because of the seed.

s how Sonny Avocado was born,: 1990

He brought me on as a vice president back then to help manage all aspects of the business. I actually was.

We had a plant in Mexico, in Mexicali, for convenience, and we brought in our avocados from Moirapan and Michoacan, as we still do today, that grew, and then some segments from that. In fact, the people I work with now were our initial plant managers. I said, Jorge. Jorge Hill.

e Andre, graduated college in: 2019

Nick: 00:04:27

Where in New York did you live?

Michael: 00:04:30

I grew up in Brooklyn and then moved to Long island and then moved into New York City, almost. Almost finishing college. I got so brilliant, I figured I could go right now and be, you know, discovered immediately, of course, you know. Yeah.

High aspirations, I'll tell you. Whoa. Had some fun and again got into television productions and a little radio, some things, some advertising.

But there was a lot of, you know, speculative things. And as I said, when I. I met a beautiful woman at a comedy club called Catch a Rising Star, I fell in love at first sight.

beautiful son was born, it's: 1978

And, you know, fun memories, but I want to be a, you know, family man. You know what I'm talking about? Right?

Nick: 00:05:27

Yeah, no, I totally get that. That's my grandfather. My grandfather, he grew up in East Harlem, and.

And his family, you know, they immigrated from Italy, so his parents weren't born here, but he met a girl as well when he was younger. He's passed many, many years ago, but. And he moved to LA as well, you know, here to Southern Cal.

And she wanted to, you know, I guess, make it in Hollywood. And, you know, to him back then, what is Hollywood and California? You know, it's the. It's the American dream.

So he came out here, and my family, you know, has been here ever since. He. He made that move.

Michael: 00:06:15

e in Los angeles. I mentioned: 1985

That's where Sonny Avocado was born. And this reminded me, a few years later, my daughter was.

was expecting my daughter in: 1992

So they set me up in my home, and I had my first, like, what do you call Kotela Commute, Mobile work or whatever. That could be an IBM selector typewriter. You know, computers weren't invented. That little ball in the middle was, like, really unique technology.

Your father would know. Yeah. We never spoke. One Panasonic fax and, you know, voice message machine all in one. It was really impressive.

And I was working, and it was on the road a lot, and I sold a lot. I did just the avocado pulp, would you believe, for like, 12 straight years. Okay. That was like, a very unique and innovative item.

We started off with our first accounts, like El Burrito. In the day, they were quite, you know, prevalent in the industry. They helped us even develop the initial recipes.

locations to over: 1100

National distributors, particularly Cisco, if I can say this on national television here, with their Casa Solana brand Tip top guacamole, the top guac. So, you know, wonderful memories with really good partners, supply partners.

And then later, perhaps much like yourself, I became my own representative to like Wyman's berries in the Northeast. They still. I work with Pete the Berryman. Some of the older timers will remember. God bless him, May he rest in peace.

And we did strawberries out of Mexico, companies like Flufemax and others and, and still supplied. And Yucatan. Yucatan. I mentioned guacamole. Worked with artie, who was 23 when he started the company, leaving our sunny avocado.

Watch him grow to a pretty impressive company. Selling the company to Croatian Foods, who turn it around to flagship food group, you know.

Nick: 00:08:50

Sure.

Michael: 00:08:51

Quite a few millions of dollars. So I've known him about building business and acting as perhaps an independent manufacturer's rep or food broker, if you will, mostly food service.

Hence the name titans of food service.

Nick: 00:09:06

That's right.

Michael: 00:09:06

Here we are.

Nick: 00:09:08

So you're in the, in the cable business. You're in the comedy club business. You move to California, you get into the, you know, into the food business.

What made you want to get into this, you know, from where you were? I know you said, you know, hey, I want to be a family man. I got to get a quote unquote, a real job. But how did you discover the food business?

Michael: 00:09:33

Well, as I mentioned the food business specifically, I actually got into the fur business when my wife said, get a real job. I don't want to go back to the past too, but I was 23 years old, my friend.

You know, I'm 23 years old, living in a beautiful building in New York City, you know, had all the kind of nice things done, but, you know, it wasn't exactly conducive to like a, you know, working Studio 54. Yeah, you may have heard it. There's a documentary about it.

Nick: 00:09:56

Yeah, totally.

Michael: 00:09:57

I was kind of like the blonde kid in the movie, but I had dark hair, you know, it was a little wild. And, you know, you work five nights a week, nine to five. It's like you come home and take the baby out in the stroll, you know, for a cocktail.

So that was a long time ago. So when she's looking at a real job, I actually, we moved to New Jersey. My mom and dad were down in Jersey. And indeed I went to real estate.

Real estate. That seemed real enough, right. And there was 17 and a half percent interest after I got my license and actually sold three houses in like six months.

and a half percent interest.: 1980

Did very well, worked well with the ladies apparently. And then I moved out to California and worked with a fur manufacturer. So I started traveling all through the United States. Built that Milan furs.

And then that young man I mentioned was playing golf. Some people from Mexico, some successful businessmen from Mexico.

And we're up in Santa Barbara and you say, what would you do to reinvest your money to make it happen, to make a new idea to bring an item from Mexico? And they all said the same at one time. He said all this land was avocado. Now it's golf courses, it is business buildings and malls.

We would find a way to bring the avocado to the United States matter. He said, aha, I'll scoop out the pit. That's all it was really, because you know, it was the pit. By the way, here it is. An avocado.

Nick: 00:11:41

Oh yeah, look at that.

Michael: 00:11:42

Yeah, they put them on my desk. You know, I'm like, that's what I do. These, I taste them, I see if this. But here, you broke a memory here. I'll tell you something here.

les sheet. Okay. Back in like: 1991

Comparing sunny avocado to fresh avocado. And even back then, I want to tell you just quickly, as long as we're talking good old days, we came up with about a dozen products.

We were the first frozen avocado in retail in a black, like sleeved box. I'm holding it up here if your viewers want to see. Then we created these jalapeno sauce, these ajos. Ajo, ajo.

If I say that correctly, garlic and a red, you see black, red and white, like Mexico. Pretty smart these guys were. And also the famous chip, a mole, the first avocado flavored chip.

So I must say we were innovators on a whole bunch of items. And I remember back when in the day, you know, finally we got to do the fresh avocado, right? Picked fresh and seasoned.

I remember the beginning of avocado from Mexico, the very first days they started. Cause we work with the founders of this whole idea. And with all respect, I say this with respect because these are powerful, important men.

We thought it was just a new idea to make sure the next generation had something like a little 50 cents per box. Add on for a promotion. Give it to the boys. Right? But they did great things. They did great things. They built the business.

They brought guys like Alvaro, Luke Gay, who you may know, the. Really built avocado into a brand. And we're very grateful for their efforts. So I'm saying that with all admiration and respect, as they say.

Yeah, the dons I'd worked with over the years.

Nick: 00:13:38

That's. That's so cool. So you.

You have relationships with essentially the growers in Mexico, and you're bringing it over here to your food service customers in the US Is that kind of how it. And then you get some sort of. Are you kind of like a broker, middleman in a way, and you get a commission on what you sell?

Michael: 00:13:55

No, no, no. Well, perhaps. But yet we are more like traders because we buy and sell. That distinguishes.

Nick: 00:14:01

Okay, you're buying it. Okay, got it.

Michael: 00:14:03

We got to buy it most of the time. And I say again, we do the fresh avocado and, you know, right here, California local, you know, no problem.

When we're in season, we buy right here from the finest packers and good relationships. We pick them up for our own trucks. We distribute locally. We bring truckloads in from Mexico that will probably come through Texas, Laredo or McAllen.

We have a cooler, if you will, in far P H A R R. Far, far away, Texas over there. But we come from there and distribute. So, yes, we can bring full truckloads and distribute. We do primarily avocado, our warehouse here in San Diego.

We do tomatoes and lime and strawberries. And we're flexible and we're always growing. We're always growing. On the frozen side, we do what we call multi container contract commitments.

It's a little term we made up.

Nick: 00:14:57

And it sounds official.

Michael: 00:14:59

Yeah, I made it up. Yeah. Key words, you know, but yeah, like we'll have a commitment for like 70 loads of broccoli at the same price.

Or people can pack and know their costs will not increase. And we bring it in and then they repack it into the bags. I may have mentioned where you find them in your retail markets or club stores.

We have, you know, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, corn, and from all over the world. That's why perhaps the name global frozen foods, like our broccoli is from Ecuador, most likely at this time.

We bring in peas, corn, mostly from domestic sources, good quality, assured source. United States. We bring in beans, green beans from Egypt, strawberries from Mexico, depends, whatever. Again, the best value at the right season.

And we'd be a benefit to our customers, which are indeed the manufacturers, mostly. You know, that's the frozen side of our business. On the fresh side, we have local markets right here, and we're delivering every day.

Our drivers are out right now as we speak. And, of course, I was very happy to make time to sit down and see how we can share some ideas.

Nick: 00:16:15

So on the fresh side, you're selling to, like, local, like, San Diego grocery stores.

Michael: 00:16:20

Yes. And that's the distributors and guys that will be taking up, you know, how many pallets or what, maybe a load of avocados up to Las Vegas.

And congratulations on the new endeavors I see up there. Huh. Looks very impressive.

Nick: 00:16:37

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. We got a new office there in Vegas. Yeah.

Michael: 00:16:42

And indeed, it's a great market. Out of business in Nevada, I did all. And through Cisco.

I must say, with respect, again, quiet suppliers, But I remember running through all the hotels at all the casinos, and I know, is it still the same? Those. Like, an underground city out there?

There was like, yeah, all the hotels and you see, like, guys with, like, you know, what do they call waiters? You know, coming down with the one, showgirls coming up the other.

And I'm here with my little sample box of frozen guacamole to the mgm, and you go here to the back to Caesars, and. Yep.

Nick: 00:17:16

I love Different World.

Michael: 00:17:18

Different world.

Nick: 00:17:19

Yeah.

Michael: 00:17:21

So Nevada, Arizona. We got distribution out of Arizona. Family member. So, yeah, we do the Southwest pretty well with fresh produce.

Nick: 00:17:31

Gotcha. And then on the frozen side, you're selling to manufacturers nationally a lot.

Michael: 00:17:36

We have a warehouse in Pennsylvania, for example. We deliver in Pennsylvania for a New York and northeastern market. Goes down the eastern seaboard. We have a facility in Florida.

We have associates that work out of Florida. You know, fill the affiliate office, if you will. Yeah. So we are big on fresh and frozen.

Nick: 00:17:58

You know, avocados, especially here on the west, are widely accepted. And, you know, you know, my house, we have them weekly. You know, there's the health benefits. We just like the way that they taste.

In your tenure, has avocados always been as popular as they are today?

Michael: 00:18:15

Well, I'll tell you what. In the beginning, we had to almost explain what an avocado was. I mean, truly. Because what happened was again, before you were born, like, you.

may not remember, but it was: 1990

It was: 1997

At billboards in California, by the way, they would say, if your avocados do not say California, say adios. I said, ah. At least they get the recognition that we're the banditos, the bad guys. You know what? California guys are the biggest importers.

They know, of course, there's 900 million million metric tons a season in Arapan. They have to avail themselves of that kind of volume, that kind of avail year round now in east coast and other regions as well.

So you say in the beginning, guess what they did. They opened up for distribution 19 northeastern states. Okay? 19 northeastern states.

I was there to welcome the first fresh truckload of fresh avocado during the New York Food Service show. Okay? And we had big events making a big event. We're gonna celebrate with avocado. Oh, we cannot wait. Can I share this with National Tea?

I don't wanna see. This is kind of secret, but they sent us a load of avocado, and it's rock hard green, right? That's okay.

So we're making a booth at the show, and we run down to one of our warehouses. It was Wilco Foods in the meat department.

The meat section in New York, Stuyvesant Street, I remember, in a limousine with four cases of frozen avocado Pope.

Nick: 00:20:11

We put it in a limousine, put.

Michael: 00:20:13

It out in a bowl, right? And one by one, they're coming. They're admiring the taste of fresh avocado. I remember. I'm going to mention her name. I'm sure she won't mind.

Rosa Mexicano. They got, like, some, I think, a dozen locations. They were premier in New York.

She came with, like, a little camera crew, was, like, filming, you know, and she tastes her avocado and she said, and this is what a flesh avocado should be. And just 10 days before, she refused using frozen because, you know, it would never compare. Honey, it's Sanka. You're having Sanka.

Remember the Sanka commercials? No, again, before your time. And then there was a gentleman, Rico Ricardo Sandoval. He was from Maya Restaurant Group.

They've also expanded over the years. He planned a wonderful dinner for all these dignitaries in New York. Athletic Club. Everything from appetizer through dessert. How to have avocado.

Our avocados from Mexico were not ripe, remember? So we used our avocado pulp in everything. And everyone enjoyed a fabulous meal. I was back in the kitchen working with them.

Getting everything set up from a guacamole avocado beverage to our avocado key lime pie at the end. Whatever it was, you know, it was lovely. That's the beginning. 19 northeastern states. And they had no idea in the beginning with an avocado.

states, I believe,: 2003

hree states, I believe it was: 2007

But to answer your question, I hope I have effectively, at first, it wasn't a national fruit, you know, now it's a thanks again to avocado from Mexico. Everyone loves the avocado. Everything's better with avocado on it, right? That's what they tell us is the.

Nick: 00:22:26

Avocado from Mexico, is it significantly different than what we have here in California or the ones you mentioned in Florida?

Michael: 00:22:34

No, California and Mexico are very similar. They're both Hass avocado. In fact, the Hass avocado was developed here In California from Mr. Haas, I think it was Charles Haas.

And I guess a few of those sprigs made their way down to Mexico and they grew like crazy, apparently. So, yeah, Haas avocado, that pebbly skin, that rougher. The alligator pear, somebody used to call them. Our hot day in Mexico.

Nick: 00:23:04

So you were, in many ways, like an early pioneer of avocados here in the US Coming, you know, the importance at least, bringing it here and introducing it to the United States. That's pretty cool.

Michael: 00:23:16

And then, of course, as years went on, introducing the health benefits, because at first people say, oh, many, many. I know you attend food shows. We did many, many, many food shows. The national restaurant showing.

There was a big show, California restaurant, New York Food Service, Southeastern, all those events to show the avocado pope. And people would say, oh, but it's so this. It's so fat and. No, it's not really not. It's. Or it's got cholesterol. No, there is no cholesterol.

In fact, zero cholesterol.

Nick: 00:23:47

Yeah.

Michael: 00:23:47

And it helps reduce the body's cholesterol. These are things we did through research in Mexico in a very simple way.

They found out, for example, pigs that would roam through the avocado field that would eat avocados off the ground when they wanted to make the large, you know, fat, I guess. Right. It would boil a clear broth because there was no. They would reduce fat and cholesterol, would you believe. And that's how the study began.

Before 10 years after they come up with a scientific study at, you know, State College of, you know, collie, whatever.

Nick: 00:24:25

How often do you go down to.

Michael: 00:24:26

Mexico at this time? Not as often at all. We don't need to as often because, you know, we have technology like this. We're talking right now you're in Northern California.

Right now you're in Los Angeles.

Nick: 00:24:37

Orange County.

Michael: 00:24:39

Orange county, that's right. Yeah. So, I mean, we're in the same time zone, but it could be anywhere.

You know, it could be making a conversation with Europe or Asia or of course, in Mexico. And yeah, we go. But not as often as we did in the. In the beginning. It's beautiful, you know.

Nick: 00:24:59

Oh, yeah. I love it down to Mexico. Been there many times, you know, not. We don't live too far here in California, you know, to get down there and.

And beautiful country, you know, over the last few 10 years, let's say you've seen the introduction of like an acai berry out of Brazil. You've seen the jackfruit.

Are there any other fruits that you can see that are similar to the growth of that avocado where they'll be popular in the US in the future?

Michael: 00:25:23

He mentioned Asahi. I was just actually an event on Sunday, a big spiritual group. And I mentioned the. He said, he's from Brazil.

And he said, look, he said, you know, maybe you can help us. You know, we're always important. And that came to my acai. In fact, he helped me again after all these years in the correct pronunciation.

Another powerful. What do they call the. It's a superfood super fruit antioxidant.

And I know if you come here down to San Diego, there's a restaurant group called Swami's that does bowls and they're very popular. And there's. You mentioned the jackfruit. That's a big one out of India, I believe.

In fact, it was one lady doing some very innovative work years ago trying to find more uses for this giant jackfruit. And it was very unknown at the time time because Indian farmers depended upon it for their livelihood.

It's the one product they would grow and they got to find a place to sell. So we worked on projects back then as far as overcoming the growth of avocado.

I don't think anything will ever become as Popular as avocado ever again. Yeah, thanks. Avocados from Mexico. It's acceptance, it's versatility.

You can put avocado with everything, breakfast, lunch or dinner or just all by itself.

Nick: 00:26:49

Sure.

Michael: 00:26:49

I think avocado is going to keep up there as one of the top fruit, you know, and of course there's things like apple, you know, that everybody. Apple a day maybe. But avocado, I think is one of the superfoods that will maintain its presence and the others we hope will develop as well.

Nick: 00:27:05

Sure.

In your career and I know you've mentioned some already selling the first, you know, truckload out into the northeast, but is there a story of yours in your career that like this story is one that sticks with you, that's memorable? It's, it's, you know, something significant from your career.

Michael: 00:27:24

I could share many, I'm sure. I mean, but memories in Mexico. I got one for you. I'll throw a. Here's one that stuck in my mind and I'm even going to mention the name.

And I hope they don't mind. There might be a few of them still there. You know, I'm old now. So I had a sales presentation in Quiznos. Okay, Quiznos. It's a big.

Was big, like: 1800

I need to get avocado pulp right away so that when, you know, when someone needs, when your customer says, you know, you know, can you help me? That's always great to hear, isn't it, Nick? When you know, they're not asking them, can you help me? You know, sure.

So I go out there, they lost my luggage. I had like a 10 o'. Clock, it was like a quick meeting all scheduled. I come in late in the afternoon. It was already evening actually.

I lost my luggage as an early meeting at the Quiznos corporate office. So I remember taking a cab running right away to look. I went to Walmart, the whole place because it was always open before 10 o'. Clock.

I'm not going to fancy retail. I have an appointment and I bought everything. Yeah, I think this shirt actually, no, the shirt just like it.

Black pants, a black jacket, black shirt, shoes and socks. You know, you name it. Just to have like. And I was wearing my sneakers and jeans for travel.

So I get to the, get to the corporate board, there's like eight people around the table. I'm very impressed. Right. And they say, and how was your flight, Michael? Oh, it was Great. It was great. Everything was good. I'm so happy to be here.

But I lost my luggage. And now I can reach this new ensemble from Walmart. When you talk about breaking a room in a classic, because I did it funnier.

Then here's my new ensemble by George from Walmart. And I walked away with like a million pound commitment and another a million to back up. They're going to write the actual order.

I had a very nice relationship with them for many, many years. Wow. That I did bring in as suppliers are supplying them today, you know, in whatever capacity. But that's just, you know, one memorable time.

What else? I have memories with Applebee's during the conventions, the annual conferences.

One that just hit me just now, just fun was at the one at the Ritz Carlton in Kona. My daughter was 2 years old.

And as part of these conferences, of course most of us playing golf and saying thank you to franchisees and you know, whatever, schmoozing. I remember the president comes up in like very casual clothing of course, to our booth.

It's our turn to say hello and thanks to the president and my little daughter, 2 years old. My little precious daughter throws her balloon at the. Knocks the beer off his hand and all over him. Splash. He was laughing, I was laughing.

The people I worked for, like, oh. I said, it's all right, it's all right. You know, my little girl, you know, it's like funny memories like that.

Nick: 00:30:29

Yeah, I love it.

Michael: 00:30:30

No bad ones. I can't think of any bad ones.

Nick: 00:30:34

Anything in your career that you still want to achieve that you haven't yet achieved?

Michael: 00:30:38

Something I'd like to achieve. Well, what I'm doing now.

What I'm doing now is basically hopefully passing on whatever experience I've had any relationships whom I've developed over the next generation. So I want to leave that legacy, if I may that before I go. I turned 70 last week. August 21st.

Nick: 00:30:58

Congratulations.

Michael: 00:30:59

Happy birthday next year on Facebook. So my age are honestly retiring, taking care of ill spouses or themselves health concerns. I have a few.

But we're dying and you know, may they rest in peace. Some legends I know over the years again. Yeah, in blessed memory. But then my hope would be to pass on and build the ultimate new successful company.

of this whole concept back in: 1990

Nick: 00:31:43

Of New York and then New Jersey, moving to California. What would you tell your young self?

Michael: 00:31:52

You know, I look back, this is a very interesting question. You know, I start getting a little bit. And you think of these like, who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? You know, meaning of life, you know.

You know, if I looked at it back with all the sometimes tumultuous. Tumultuous at times of craziness, even in my early youth, you know, I don't think I change a thing. I don't think.

Making me get a little sentimental here. I think about all my.

There's maybe some kind of a testimonial, you know, all my old friends that are getting older, still alive, able to tell me, say, I have a big heart, very generous heart, giving. What would I change? I would say the meaning for me of life is the learning, the giving and receiving of love. What can I tell you?

You know, that's not. Doesn't sound like a tough guy from New York, but, you know, maybe I used to be a wise guy, but, you know, you learn, you settle down.

You have enough. Be grateful, you know, be of service, be of benefit.

Nick: 00:32:49

Yeah.

Michael: 00:32:50

Don't be. Don't think of self. Be selfless.

These are the things I would tell myself, because it all comes back many times I found that out, you know, and even when there's, shall we say, obstacles, perhaps I've learned to embrace every challenge as a blessing.

Looking back over those many years that when there was a big health concern on a few occasions, and when you have positive mind and faith, you can go through anything. I think you go through anything and come out stronger at the other side. That's kind of what I say. And I'd say, you know, try to behave yourself.

Try to have a trouble, because it's a real pain in the hands. Exactly. Exactly.

Nick: 00:33:36

Well, Michael, I want to say thank you so much for coming on my on the Tides of Food Service podcast. I enjoyed our conversation. I love your. Your view on life. And, you know, you could tell.

You're fun, you're passionate, you love what you do and the people you work with. And just thank you so much for sharing your story. I really appreciate it.

Michael: 00:33:57

Well, thank you, Nick. And I hope we'll do something together, too, very soon. Okay.

Nick: 00:34:01

I love it.

Michael: 00:34:02

Give me your.

Nick: 00:34:02

Sounds good. Thanks, Mike.

Michael: 00:34:04

Thank you so much. Bye. Bye.