By Aliza Zaidi
Town Crier Editorial Intern
Childhood memories can go a long way. They gave direction to Michal Jozef Grycz. The boy who grew up in Palo Alto and attended St. Francis High School now goes by “Michal the Milkman,” delivering dairy goods to clients in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
It was his fascination with Wally the milkman that helped him pick his career path.
“I remember Wally stopping by our house in his Peninsula Creamery milk truck,” Grycz recalled, “and my mother telling me what we needed so I could run out and tell Wally.
“I’d watch, fascinated, as he gathered everything from the back of this amazing truck … Then he would pile a bunch of items in my arms (and) he’d take the rest.”
He tried a corporate role at Eastman Kodak but found it wasn’t for him. Grycz soon found himself baking desserts and delivering bakery bread.
“I knew that it would be best to dive into trying my hand at my own business while I was young and still full of energy,” Grycz said. So, at age 20, he started delivering for the Peninsula Creamery.
He started as the Creamery’s youngest distributor, delivering his goods on a motorcycle to just three customers.
Business has come a long way in these past 15 years. Grycz now delivers by truck and has a customer base of 191. Since the Peninsula Creamery has gone out of business, he now works with Clover-Stonetta Dairy.
Los Altos and Los Altos Hills fall within his delivery territory. This includes the De Martini Orchards in Los Altos.
“He’s a real nice gentleman. It’s a small company which provides great services when you need them,” Manager Ray Briseno said.
“Clover leads the country in quality, and their products are superior to anyone else’s, especially the bigger supermarkets’ in-house labels,” Grycz said.
Proof of good quality is that the growth of business has not relied on advertising but instead on word-of-mouth or people stopping the three-member team to ask about their services.
The product line is all dairy but extremely diverse. Options range from chocolate milk and whipping cream to 30-pound cases of cream cheese. Clients consist mainly of homes and businesses, specially restaurants and commercial kitchens.
Grycz, a member of the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce, said business has remained stable despite the current recession.
What is most interesting is that the business has survived supermarket monopolization and bad economic times.
Obviously the good quality has helped, but according to Grycz, “There are lots of items for restaurants and commercial kitchens that you can’t find in stores … at least not in such big sizes.”
Grycz also attributes success to “strong service ethics and a lot of energy and determination.” He believes, “If you follow your passion, you will find a way to prosper.”
“People are what make this business so enjoyable,” he said. Clients seem to put their trust in him. “We have a huge key ring full of keys to people’s houses, schools and restaurants,” Grycz said.
He enjoys all aspects of his profession, even dealing with flat tires while on his route. According to Grycz, they are all “fun adventures.”
For information or deliveries, call 424-1424.
