When I decided to create
J. C. Ribeiro, little did I know that some thirty-three years later I would feel that I had become so successful. In 1986, for health reasons, I suddenly had to withdraw completely from the family companies of which I was a Partner-Director and which furthermore, left me without any financial resources. In due course, encouraged and supported by my family, cheered on by my good professional standing and my reputation with the financial institutions, I embarked on a new career. Today, I can honestly say that I am extremely proud of what I have accomplished. I always intended that as a company, J. C. Ribeiro would be exemplary in complying with two fundamental principles: (1) guarantee high-quality products and never deceive customers and (2), regarding its employees, ensure that they enjoy the best working conditions and personal well-being. The company soon earned the preference of leading Scottish, Irish and American distilleries and through the years our ties with our customers have become even stronger, forged by our mutual trust and the consistently high quality of our products. These bonds are proof that the first principle that I set for the company has been, and continues to be successfully realized, as we see from the loyalty of our customers. Our staff is part of our success and this is only possible because, based on a series of values that I will never relinquish, the company has never abdicated from applying the second fundamental principle. The Portuguese are as productive as the finest of workers worldwide as long as they are respected and given good working conditions and essential professional tools such as training and motivation. On the other hand, I have always encouraged the sentiment that all together, we are a family. This is why I have always strived to learn of any problems that our staff may be facing, helping whenever possible to resolve them. I am always pleased to hear of their children’s academic success and to note their families’ improved standard of living. For all the above reasons, it would be amiss of me if I were to fail to share our successes and our difficulties and to encourage each and everyone to be active in the collective life of the company, which is why I am always open to their suggestions. I am proud to consider every member of the staff a friend and to state that the finest employees in the region work for J. C. Ribeiro. I firmly believe that J. C. Ribeiro shall continue to be successful for many good years to come as I have no doubts whatsoever that all its staff, customers, and partners shall continue to believe in and live by the philosophy that has always guided me and that can be summed up quite simply as:
“Ultimately, quality always beats price”
