Los Alamitos, CA (March 2021) – It’s a special time for Frieda’s Branded Produce, as we are celebrating 60 years in business! In 1962, our late, fearless founder Frieda Rapoport Caplan embraced the mission to advocate for the unspoken fruits and vegetables of the world—like spaghetti squash, dragon fruit, and the landmark item that put Frieda’s on the map nationwide—kiwifruit.
Frieda’s made major headway in the industry during the ‘60’s with the bold move of labeling produce with a sticker containing a coinciding recipe. Frieda did this to entice shoppers to try and purchase produce that was unfamiliar to them at first glance. “We were the first to not only label our products, but because there was some empty space on the first label, my mom decided to offer free recipes to the consumer by asking them to send us a self-addressed stamped envelope with ideas,” says Frieda’s CEO Karen Caplan. “Never could she imagine that more than 300-500 individual shoppers would write to us for recipes every week! I know this happened, as answering those letters was my first job! This was before the internet, so Frieda’s became the trusted source for recipes and information to shoppers for new and exotic produce.”
Sixty years later, we are still carrying out our mission of inspiring healthy, colorful, and delicious eating by educating consumers and the industry on how to enjoy unique produce. The number 60 has also taken on special meaning to us lately. Based on a C&R omnibus research survey of 1,000 people in partnership with Frieda’s, 60% of shoppers are saying that Frieda’s branded produce is: 1) more likely to catch their eye in stores, 2) contains the most appealing names, and 3) has the most up-to-date branding versus the leading specialty produce competitor.* “Consumers are telling us that our packaging looks better than ever, and our research shows that shoppers are willing to pay more for our items vs. the competition,” says Alex Jackson, Frieda’s director of sales. “Not only does that help bring your produce department to life, but it also translates into higher sales per square foot for our retail clients.”
In honor of our 60-year anniversary, we have released a celebration-worthy bespoke birthday cake recipe that features some of our most exclusive and favorite items like Popjoys® kumquats, Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, and Frieda’s pink lemons.
We’d love to hear from you with your favorite memories of Frieda and Frieda’s! Share them with us on social media today on Instagram and Facebook to help us celebrate 60 years of sweet.
Sourcing: *C&R omnibus 1,000 person survey study, Winter of 2022