LOS ALAMITOS, CA - Produce Managers—while often the unsung heroes behind the scenes of our industry, Frieda’s Specialty Produce is one of the companies hard at work to see these hardworking men and women get their due. This April 2nd is the 6th annual Love Your Produce Manager® Day, and Frieda’s is inviting industry participation in saluting the hardworking men and women in supermarket produce departments, both in stores and over social media with hashtag #LYPM. And as an added bonus, for each industry organization that shares the hashtag or mentions Love Your Produce Manager® Day in its communications, Frieda’s will make a donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a member of the Feeding America national network.
“The produce department is the heart of the supermarket, and produce managers keep it ticking,” shared Karen Caplan, President and CEO. “According to United Fresh Produce Association’s 2016 year in review, 33 percent of all fresh grocery sales comes from produce. And these men and women contribute to that success with their beautiful displays and excellent customer service. Their passionate work helps put more fruits and vegetables in the shopping basket, boosts produce consumption, and inspires new food experiences for shoppers.”
Frieda’s has designed some helpful, shareable graphics to use in your support of Produce Managers. According to a press release, Love Your Produce Manager® Day messages must be posted by 11:59 p.m. PST on April 3 to be counted for the donation. Additionally, Frieda’s will be hosting a public social media giveaway, incentivizing shoppers to share selfies with their local supermarket produce managers and hashtag #LYPM from March 28 through April 4.
As creator of Love Your Produce Manager® Day, a day featured in Chase’s Calendar of Events since 2012, Frieda’s has long been supporting both Produce Managers and various charities. In 2015 more than 40 organizations participated in LYPM online activities. Frieda’s made 2015’s donation to United Fresh Produce Association’s “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” initiative.
“Conversations that produce managers have with shoppers pave the way for us to bring to market unique and exciting products like Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, jackfruit, and fresh turmeric root,” Caplan said. “Without the help of a Salt Lake City produce manager listening to a single consumer’s request in 1962, kiwifruit may not have become the well known and loved fruit it is today.”
In the much lauded “Fear No Fruit,” documentary chronicling the life of Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, the filmmakers highlight the importance of produce managers as a contributing factor in her success as the first woman entrepreneur on the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market in the 1960s. “Fear No Fruit” is available on DVD and digital streaming platforms (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video). The film is also available for group and educational screenings by contacting Kino Lorber EDU.
