Ryan Cuttler, 32
Chief Operating Officer , Cuttler Produce , Eatontown, NJ
June 9, 2025 | 3 min to read
SHORT BIO
Hometown: Tinton Falls, NJ
Hobbies: Basketball, Pickleball, Amateur Winemaker, NY Jets, Knicks, Rangers fan
Family/Community: Married, 2 daughters, Supporter of Little League Baseball, Elementary school events, High school football team
Motto in life: Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.
Cuttler grew up in the produce industry and is a fourth generation. He has greatly innovated a decades-old family business by bringing in new technology, but his professional path did not begin in the industry. After attending Drexel University in Philadelphia, he worked for the PGA Tour for three years. In 2016, he returned to the family business to take on an administrative role as a general manager. He introduced new software, credit card processing, and other systems to continue to grow the business.
In 2020, after the passing of his uncle, he stepped up from an administrative/operations role to an operations/executive position. As chief operating officer, he oversees all aspects of the business, handling day-to-day operations, as well as the sales team, payroll and HR. He designed and developed the company’s app, which allows customers to place orders, create order guides, and make payments. Under his guidance, the company has grown the business to over $40 million this past year, secured major contracts and is in the process of building a new facility.
Q: What is the one thing in your business you are most passionate about?
Quality and service. We pride ourselves on providing the best quality you can find. Anyone can charge a cheaper price, but can they charge that competitive price without sacrificing quality? Service is something no one can beat us on. In our prime Jersey Shore location, many of our clients are weather-dependent. We offer same-day delivery that not one of our competitors can say they do. It’s a service like no other, and we pride ourselves on it.
Q: What would you like consumers to know about the industry?
The industry changes daily. Pricing changes daily, and numbers are constantly flowing. The produce industry is so dependent on many factors, such as labor, supply and demand, and weather. These factors force you to always be on your toes and ahead of the game because missing the boat can be the difference between making money and losing money.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
I am most proud of my ability to secure the Jersey Mike’s Subs contract for the state of New Jersey. To be in the home state of Jersey Mike’s corporation, you are constantly under the microscope. It was a feat in itself to secure the contract, but we have been able to fulfill the contract with flying colors and can see where the future is headed with new contracts coming available.
Q: What advice would you give someone new to the produce industry?
Work hard. This is an industry that requires long hours and 110% commitment: 60 to 80 hours per week, early days, late nights, working on holidays. People will always need to eat. Expect to lay it all out there if you want to be successful.
Q: What challenges and opportunities do you see for the future of the industry?
The biggest challenges are increasing regulations and requirements that continue to add more costs to a company’s bottom line, making it harder to be successful. We are continually looking for new ways to add revenue, but also ways to cut costs and become more efficient. There are a lot of opportunities opening up each year. Different aspects of the market continue to become available, whether institutional work, government programs, or regional and national chains opening up in our delivery zones.
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