I just can’t resist offering up my thoughts on a few produce trends for 2015. The great thing is that fresh produce is front and center for all things healthy, and retailers and restaurant operators (and chefs) are even more in love with fresh produce than they ever have been.

Plant-based Protein

Yes, that’s right. Who knew that many produce items can be a source of protein? This is super important to vegans and vegetarians, but the spillover is that all consumers are finding out about fresh produce as a source of protein. In addition to potatoes and broccoli, consider Colored Cauliflower, Baby Brussels Sprouts (green AND purple!), Edamame, and Green Artichokes. Next time you want to make a light meal at home, why not grill a Cauliflower Steak? (Don’t laugh. There really is such a thing. At a fancy dinner I attended earlier this year, since the honoree was vegan, we all had Cauliflower Steaks, and they were delicious!)

Food52: Dan Barber’s Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Purée. Click for recipe.

Digestive Health

We are all concerned with the health of our “gut,” which is why probiotics and yogurt have become so popular. But did you know that fermented foods, which are trending heavily right now, are good for your digestion too? Try Kim Chee (spicy Korean pickled vegetables) or one of my personal favorite vegetables, Sunchokes® (also known as Jerusalem Artichokes).

Meatless Monday

You may not be aware that the Meatless Monday campaign has been around since 2003. The concept is that if going vegetarian or vegan full-time is scary, why not try just one day a week? An amazing fact is that the Meatless Monday movement helps with the drought in California. One of our top crops in California is hay, which is used to feed cattle and other animals. Producing hay uses a lot of water. So, by cutting out meat one day a week, who knows how many gallons of water we will save!

And here are other top trends that you’ll notice in the months to come:

Gluten-free

Well, of course! Because I have a daughter who is allergic to gluten, I have become super aware of the plethora of gluten-free foods. We only purchase foods that boldly state “Gluten-free” on the label. If it doesn’t say it on the label, we don’t take a chance. But be prepared for some backlash on gluten-free, just as there has been on “low fat” and “high protein” foods. Healthy and balanced nutrition is important!

More Root Vegetables

Whether it is parsnips, celery root, carrots, beets, rutabagas, or turnips, roasting vegetables whole as a main course has become very chic!

Ugly Produce

I cannot wait for this trend to catch on! A blemish here or a wilted leaf there does not affect the eating quality of the produce. And just think of how much more produce will NOT go to waste if we purchase and prepare “ugly-looking, misshapen produce.” Here’s a great campaign by French grocery chain Intermarche.

Intermarche – ‘Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables’ from Goodvertising on Vimeo.

Small Supermarkets

Smaller stores are easier to shop. Even Walmart is opening “Neighborhood Markets,” smaller versions of its supermarket. Chefs in some smaller markets are willing to pre-cook “gourmet” food to go, or you can ask them for recommendations on the spot. It’s more personal!

Local, Local, Local

I just heard a radio commercial for a restaurant chain advertising the name of the grower of its greens! We’re used to seeing local growers’ products at farmers markets, but supermarkets and restaurants alike have realized that we want to know who grows our food and if it’s nearby, even better!

Looks like we will continue to have more healthy options available too. Hooray! More fruits and veggies make me happy!

Happy New Year!

Karen

Do you or your firm have interns? Have you thought about how you could potentially change that person’s life by the way you structure the internship?

This is our fifth year hosting an intern from EARTH University in Costa Rica. We were first introduced to EARTH when it began in 1990 in the rainforests of eastern Costa Rica. We were fascinated with its focus on true sustainability.

Each year, EARTH brings approximately 100 students from the tropics around the world—starting with Central and South America, and now including students from Africa, Asia and North America—and teaches them to be agriculturalists. The university gives them the skills and education to go back into their communities when they graduate four years later and create enterprises that improve the economics of their home countries.

It is a noble mission and University President José Zaglul told me when we had lunch a few months ago that the university’s fundamental goal is to create ethical leaders.

José Zaglul with my mom Frieda Caplan, Frieda’s founder.

Each September through December, third-year EARTH students are required to have an internship in a carefully selected company somewhere outside their home country. The students go out and do real work, applying what they have learned in school and learning what it’s like to be in what I call “the real world.”

President Jose Zaglul, with two other EARTH interns, and Isaiah (R)

This year, our intern was Isaiah Lekesike. Isaiah is originally from Kenya, the fifth of eight children in his family. Since the age of 10, he has supported himself by qualifying for scholarships at the top junior high and high schools in Kenya. And through his hard work, his excellent grades and his inner drive to succeed, he ended up receiving a full scholarship to EARTH, over 13,000 miles from his home.

As I mentioned, Isaiah is our fifth intern. We have had two interns from Costa Rica, two from Haiti, and this year two students from Kenya applied for one position. It was a hard choice, but after multiple Skype interviews, we chose Isaiah. He was very excited to come to Southern California.

The first night Isaiah arrived, we went to dinner together. It was difficult to understand him as he spoke with an, of course, Kenyan accent. But with his big smile and pleasant attitude, I knew he was perfect for our culture at Frieda’s.

Isaiah and me…in my gym clothes.

After a few weeks of working under the supervision of our Category Business Analyst Leslie, Isaiah and I met for a feedback session. I asked him if he had a bucket list of things he wanted to do while in California. He looked at me, puzzled. “Why did I want to know?” I told him if he shared his goals, then I could help him achieve them.

It turns out he wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay and the Hollywood sign, and go to Disneyland and Las Vegas (of course), among other things. Fortunately for us, we had many volunteers within the company who made sure he got to do almost everything on his list.

Isaiah’s 15-week internship flew by so quickly. His final day in the office was spent finishing up his work, and then presenting a 30-minute recap of his experience at Frieda’s. Everyone in the office was invited and we ended up with over 20 people crammed into our conference room! After the presentation, we celebrated his success with a quick lunch, then he was off to Las Vegas for the weekend.

So when I drove Isaiah to the airport for his flight back to Costa Rica on Monday night, I asked him what surprised him during his Internship and what he learned. This is what he told me:

I know each year that the EARTH student whom we select to be an intern will have his or her life changed forever. What always surprises me is how they change MY life and the lives of other members of the Frieda’s family.

Isaiah with many of our Sales, Buying and Marketing teams.

Happy Holidays!

Karen

P.S. If you haven’t received my blog for the last six weeks, I took a little break. Sometimes we need to do that.

I call it “media fatigue.” I think you know what I mean. You turn on the TV or radio, and listen to various pitches for the upcoming news. It usually includes some “sensational” one-liner that is meant to catch our attention and make us not want to miss the news.

“Fire threatens hundreds of homes near you!”

“The cure for cancer is near!”

“Watch this exclusive video of the Police Chief of Los Angeles in handcuffs!” (This one was really in the headlines a few days ago.)

And what do you usually find out? That maybe they weren’t telling the whole truth about the story, but they just wanted to get you to tune in.

Well, I’ve noticed a trend. Many companies in my industry have begun to use this same sensational headline approach with their press releases. I assume they do this to improve the chances that a paper or magazine will print the release in the hope that it will help increase sales.

But I don’t think readers are that naive.

Sometimes it’s easier to see this in a visual form. Thanks to my friend Liliana who posted this on Facebook.

Bottom line is this: if you do marketing for a living—which most of us do, in some way, shape, or form—please give your audience credit and recognize that they will appreciate hearing REAL news and HONEST information. Plus, they don’t want their email inbox filled up with JUNK. It’s just a turnoff.

Keep it real out there,

Karen

P.S. This is also why I asked my marketing team to put a moratorium on all of our press release a few weeks leading up to the biggest annual trade show last month. I figured that our trade publications would be deluged with dozens of other companies, all “shouting” loudly and only getting louder. I felt it was pointless to add to the noise and encouraged other companies to do the same.

Let me put it this way: Mercury is in retrograde.

That sentence may or may not make sense to you, but I have written about that silly, menacing planet before. Here’s a quick recap.

In astrology, Mercury is the planet that rules communication, both interpersonal and electronic, as well as clear thinking, truth, and travel. Three to four times a year, the planet appears to move backward in the sky, known as “Mercury in Retrograde.” During such periods, you will find that things go wrong—more so than usual.

According to Greek mythology, Mercury represents the god Hermes who, in addition to being the messenger, has a reputation as a prankster. Hermes is a patron god of messengers and commerce, so no wonder everything business- and communications-related goes haywire when Mercury is in retrograde!

Interpersonal communications, such as speaking and listening, buying and selling, and negotiating, and commerce-related functions like transportation and logistics, travel, and negotiation, are affected when Mercury is functioning in its sluggish state. Delays and challenges are more probable, and these random mistakes or glitches can be costly.

Needless to say, it is not advisable to sign contracts, engage in important decision making, or launch a new business when Mercury is in retrograde. It’s also a good idea to plan for travel delays, communication disruptions with loved ones or customers, and technological failures during this time. (For goodness’ sake, back up your computer and network before Mercury goes into retrograde!) It’s like Hermes himself is pulling a prank on you.

Unbeknownst to me, Mercury went retrograde on October 4 and remains so until midday October 25.

If you’re skeptical about this whole Mercury business and want some evidence, this is what I’ve witnessed during the last few days:

Mercury in retrograde is not all bad for everyone. If you are the creative type or like to think outside the box, then this is the period when you can make great progress. For everyone else, this is the time to sit back, relax, and wait for the tide to change.

So you can plan ahead, here are the dates when this celestial phenomenon will occur in 2015:

Good luck!

Karen

P.S. You can read more about Mercury in retrograde in the Huffington Post and TIME Magazine.

As the “vegetable lady”—my friends all call me this—anything that has to do with fruits and vegetables always makes me happy.

You may recall, a little over two years ago, I decided to go vegan for a month. The difference between being a vegetarian and being vegan means that not only do you eat a diet filled with plant-based foods, but you do not eat any animal-derived products. So, no dairy or eggs. For some vegans, that also means no honey since bees are technically an animal.

You could call us the Veggie Family. Frieda is a vegetarian and Jackie also eats mostly plant-based.

I chronicled my Vegan Journey for a month and something interesting happened. I found that I felt better—all my aches and pains seemed to disappear—and people told me I looked younger, which is always a plus. Well, after a year of being vegan, I found that I needed more protein. Because I am allergic to soy, I added egg whites, fish, and chicken back into my diet.

Nonetheless, my diet continues to be primarily made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. For example, today, which is a typical work day, I have snacked on cucumbers, colored bell peppers, strawberries, Cherub® tomatoes (IMHO the only ones with amazing flavor), broccoli, and a fresh apple. Plus, I had mushrooms and spinach in my egg white omelet this morning. That’s nine servings for the day already and I haven’t even had dinner!

I think that’s the point of National Vegetarian Month. It’s to call attention to how easy it is to be a part-time—or even full-time—vegetarian. New York Times writer Mark Bittman calls it VB6 (Vegan before 6 p.m.).

A well-known dietitian, Sharon Palmer, RDN, gave us five awesome suggestions, which I totally love, in her October newsletter on what you can do to introduce more fruits and veggies to your diet during this month.

Make a plant-powered goal.

Whether you’re an omnivore or a vegetarian, you can make your own plant-powered goal to eat more whole plant foods at every meal. For starters, try out Meatless Monday by enjoying one entirely plant-based meal per week as a great entry into plant-based eating. Or if you’re vegetarian, you might want to try a month of vegan eating.

Have a meat-free morning.

Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to skip the meat. With so many delicious breakfast foods, such as whole grain cereals and breads, fruit, and even vegetables, there’s little reason to rely on meat for your first meal of the day.

Plants for protein.

It’s a widespread misconception that it’s difficult to get enough protein from plant foods. Evidence indicates that it’s simple to achieve an adequate intake of protein from plant-based sources. Legumes, soy, nuts and seeds are your best bets, but whole grains and veggies have protein, too!

Change the center of your plate.

When planning your meals, start with the vegetable or plant protein component to get your creative juices flowing. Meat or “faux meat” doesn’t need to be the “center of the plate.” If kale and cauliflower are calling to you, plan your meal around those veggies, with perhaps some simmered savory lentils and a quinoa pilaf on the side. Yum!

Try a new veggie recipe each week.

It’s easy to get in a rut! But why not dish up some new fabulous foods to celebrate National Vegetarian Month. Just try out a new plant-based recipe on your easiest day of the week. My website and books can get you started. And invite over your friends and family to share them. Spread the plant-powered love!

So, when you hear “vegetarian,” I want you to think it’s OK to be a part-time vegetarian. Consciously make the center of your plate fruits and veggies. Celebrate Meatless Monday! When you stop by the market for your fresh produce, walk the department and look for something new, colorful, and interesting. You never know when you will find your newest “favorite produce item” to entice you to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Shift the way you eat, starting now!

And enjoy!

Karen

Last Sunday, my mother, Frieda, and I were invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Hotel Irvine in Irvine, California, to share our experiences as members of a family business. (By the way, a family business is defined as one that has two or more family members in positions of authority.)

You know, our lessons learned that we could share with others.

We were invited by my longtime friend and fellow woman business owner, Patty DeDominic. Patty founded of one of the largest staffing companies in Los Angeles County, PDQ Personnel Services, more than 30 years ago. She sold her company a few years ago and is now running Maui Masterminds, an organization that helps business owners build businesses that they love through private business coaching.

Joining us on the panel was Brian Thomson, who is the second generation in and current President of LH Thomson, a manufacturer of aerospace parts for companies like Boeing. And for the last 20 years, the company has also run a niche business in patented bicycle parts.

After 30 minutes of our facilitated discussion, it was time for my favorite part, Q&A with the audience.

“How do you deal with all the different generations of workers in your business and how different they are?”

I especially like that question! Here at Frieda’s, we make a concerted effort to hire and retain all age levels—from the early 20s to older than 50s—because we like our team to be well-rounded so it mirrors our customer and supplier base.

I also shared my thoughts on Millennials (aka Gen Y) about their supposed lack of work ethics or inability to work hard. I am sick and tired of hearing that because it simply is not true. Millennials just have a different perspective from us Baby Boomers.

Instead of growing up expecting to have just one or two careers in their lifetimes, Millennials now know they will have multiple career changes through out their lives—maybe 10 or more careers—some of which don’t even exist yet! They want to be challenged and valued, and to be upwardly mobile in a short time.

Photo credit: Flickr/State Farm

“What do you do about all the instant messaging and texting in the workplace? How can you control it?”

That question was asked by a fellow Baby Boomer or possibly a Gen Xer (also known as the “skeptic generation”). I had to confide to the audience that it had been an adjustment for me to walk through the office and see people looking at Facebook or texting while at their desks “working.”

But I came to the conclusion years ago—with some coaching from my HR Manager and many seminars—that instead of worrying about controlling the social media activity and texting, I should ask myself one question: “Did they make their numbers?” or “Are they getting their work done?”

You see, the paradigm has shifted in offices today. And we can thank the multitasking Millennial generation that grew up being connected 24/7 to their friends and family.

We Baby Boomer bosses cannot judge others solely by how we were raised and trained. We have to condition ourselves that in order to attract and retain the best employees and team members, we need to be flexible and understand what motivates them. And we need to provide coaching and mentoring.

Although many of us grew up separating “business from personal” (e.g., limiting socializing with the folks you work with), for Millennials, some of their closest friends are those they work with. If we want to keep them, we’re going to have to be their friends too!

The Maui Masterminds session was only 45 minutes and it flew by. When it was over, the man who asked me the question about instant messaging and texting stopped me in the lobby and said, “Thanks for your honest answer. I guess texting in the workplace is here to stay.”

Just something to think about,

Karen

Frieda’s EARTH University intern Isaiah Lekesike from Kenya, Maui Mastermind Patty DeDominic, Frieda, and me

I could tell it was autumn last week while I was traveling in the Pacific Northwest, even though the temperatures were in the 80- to 90-degree range.

How?

Because I saw HUGE hard-shell squash displays in every supermarket.

(Note: It is normal procedure at most supermarkets to do a “fall reset.” Pumpkins, squashes, apples, and oranges are moved to the front of the department. Displays of cooking vegetables get bigger. And summer fruit displays become much smaller or disappear altogether.)

Doesn’t this make you think of fall? Beautiful displays of squash and pumpkins on centerpieces and the aroma of squash baking in the oven fills the air!

Photo: Paleo Nutrition Notes

Every produce manager I spoke with said they sell lots of squash during the fall season. Up in Oregon and Washington, hard-shell squashes are a local crop, so I think part of the appeal is that consumers are supporting local farmers—a huge trend these days.

But I also think a few other trends explain the popularity of hard-shell squashes.

One-Dish Meals

It’s easy to bake—or even microwave—a squash and stuff it with rice, ground meat, or steamed veggies for a simple and tasty meal. For those who are in a time crunch, this is an easy and yummy dinner.

Vegetarian and Vegan Cooking

Forget the meat! Someone following a plant-based, whole-foods diet can have a tasty meal by stuffing halves of cooked squash with protein-rich, ancient grains like farro and quinoa. (One of the most successful produce managers I spoke with last week went vegan last year and has lost over 60 pounds!) The hard-shell squashes are also excellent sources of vitamins A and C.

Flavor, Flavor, Flavor!

Hard-shell squashes are some of the most flavorful and richest tasting vegetables. As much as I love green salads, when it gets cold outside, I want something warm and delicious. And squash fits the bill!

This year’s darling is Delicata Squash, which has a flavor reminiscent of corn pudding. A produce manager told me he thinks one of the reasons it is so popular is that it’s the only variety with an edible skin!

More than a dozen varieties of hard-shelled squashes are available in local supermarkets. Click on the image to learn more about them.

I would love to hear what your favorite squash is. Let me know by posting a comment below.

Enjoy autumn’s abundance!

Karen

“Agriculture’s tastemakers are arguably the most potent trendsetters in the world,” said James Beard Award-winning author David Sax in his new book “The Tastemakers: Why We’re Crazy for Cupcakes But Fed Up with Fondue,” released in June. One of those trendsetters mentioned in his book is our founder, Frieda Rapoport Caplan.

Sax is also the author of “Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen” and has won a James Beard Award for writing and literature. He is a freelance writer specializing in business and food. His writing appears regularly in the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Saveur.

We were also featured in “Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil” written by our friends Mary Platis and Laura Bashar. Our products were used in many recipes in the book, including Organic Finger Limes Kamikaze Shots with Mint and Olive Oil.

One of my favorite songs these days is “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

Every time it comes on the radio, I get a huge smile on my face.

So, when I was returning from a weekend trip in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., this past weekend and we were dropping off our rental car, I must have been thinking of that song. As I got out of the car, I smiled at the attendant. His reaction was amazing.

“What a great smile you have!” he said.

“Thank you!” I replied.

“It’s not just your smile, or your teeth. It’s the way your whole face lights up!”

I told him that he really made my day, and he told me that I made his.

How many times do we have something on our minds, completely preoccupied, and don’t think about what we look like to others? You know what I am talking about—that slight scowl or tense look. That’s not a face that is fun for people to look at.

What if we each conscientiously put our efforts into walking around with a smile and saying hello to everyone we see? It doesn’t really take that much extra effort.

I learned this from a speaker who presented at our recent company sales meeting: when you say something positive and kind to someone else, it gives energy and strength to both you and the person to whom you are speaking.

And conversely, when you say something negative or critical, you weaken both yourself and the other person.

So, why not try it for a week? Smile at everyone you see. I would love to hear about the reactions you get, if you would share with me in the comment section below.

Big smile from Avery Maes, Frieda’s future intern and unofficial mascot, daughter of our production artist Mark Maes.

Karen

P.S. I have never seen a YouTube video that has more than 410 million views before! That’s how many Pharrell has for “Happy!” I guess happiness is catching on.

Last month, as I sat at an industry luncheon, I prepared to hear my friend Marty make a few remarks. During this particular luncheon, our industry comes together to support the City of Hope, an amazing local, world-renowned research hospital that has pioneered bone marrow transplants and a host of other cutting-edge cancer treatments.

Marty sells mushrooms for a living. I’m a little partial to mushrooms, as that is the first product that my mother, Frieda, sold when she entered the produce business in 1956. So, I was pleasantly surprised with what Marty said: “I’d like you all to see what’s going on with white mushrooms in the field of medicine.”

As you can see in this three-minute video, the researchers at City of Hope freeze-dried regular white mushrooms into a powder, then made 500 mg tablets with the powder. In a clinical trial, they gave prostate cancer surgery survivors the capsules and monitored their Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA). The results were very dramatic and amazing.

The researchers also noted that cinnamon, blueberries, and pomegranates may have beneficial qualities that they are testing in clinical trials.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if medical research began to verify what many “health food nuts” have known for decades? A diet rich in plant-based foods may be the key to a long, healthy life. And, changing your diet at any time in your life—preferably sooner rather than later—might also be a way to get yourself healthier.

I feel fortunate to be in an industry like fresh produce, where our products do no harm and are good for you. Young and old—everyone has to eat!

Thanks, Mom, for getting into the produce business!

Karen

 

I think it’s time to proclaim 2014 as “The Year of the Dragon Fruit.”

It’s been 20 years since we first introduced Pitaya (also known as “Pitahaya”). Yes, that’s what Dragon Fruit was called 20 years ago, and we sold the first fruit.

Dragon Fruit is native to Mexico and is the fruit of several types of cactus (Hylocereus is the official genus). I have visited Dragon Fruit plantings, most recently in Israel earlier this year. They are beautiful and green. When the fruit is in season, the bright-colored fruits are picture-perfect. Unlike most other plants, these cacti flower at night. When the heat is just right, the plants can go from flowering to being filled with ripe fruit within 24 hours!

Two main types of Dragon Fruit are available in the U.S.—white-fleshed and red-fleshed. For much of the year, the white-fleshed fruit comes from Vietnam. We bring it both by boat and by air. When the U.S. season starts, we have fruit from California, Texas, and Florida; because Dragon Fruit are subtropical, they naturally grow in warm states. You can read more here about the three main types of Dragon Fruit.

The red-fleshed fruit is rarer. We have a few growers here in California and in Florida. This season we are bringing in the red-fleshed Dragon Fruit from Nicaragua.

The great news is that both the white-fleshed and red-fleshed fruit are available right now. I predict you will start to see a large display in your supermarket very soon. If you shop in an Asian market (like our local Ranch 99 Markets in Southern California), you may see a HUGE display in the produce department.

What do Dragon Fruit taste like? To me, they have the texture and flavor of a mild Kiwifruit. Nutritionally, they are rich in antioxidants and in vitamin C. They also supply fiber.

In addition to that wonderful flavor and those nutritional benefits, Dragon Fruit is very eye-catching! So, next time you’re making a summer fruit platter, add a little pizzazz by slicing up some Dragon Fruit.

Enjoy!

Karen

Last week I learned a new produce term, “the last 10 yards.”

One of my produce colleagues and I sit on the advisory board of a start-up produce company, and we were advising the owners about the ins and outs of the produce industry.

We were talking about how to get sales of their new product and how challenging it can be.

And that’s when my friend said, “It is all about the last 10 yards.”

Photo credit: Flickr/jayneandd

He was referring to the fact that you can sell your product or idea to the executive of a retail or foodservice company. But the sale is not complete until your product actually makes it from that executive, to the administrative assistant who makes sure it is listed in the order guide, the buyer who places the order, the sales rep who talks to the customer about it, out of the backroom of the store, and finally out on display at the store or onto a menu and then the plates of a restaurant meal.

“The last 10 yards” refers to your product moving from the backroom of a retail store onto the produce shelf, properly signed, priced, and cared for.

Most of us don’t even think of that. We just make the sale and cross our fingers that the rest happens flawlessly.

It got me thinking.

Where else in our lives does the importance of “the last 10 yards” show up?

• Calling to confirm that a package got delivered by “tracking a package” on the FedEx or UPS website;
• Confirming dinner reservations before you depart;
• Sending a confirmation email a couple of days before or on the morning of a meeting;
• After giving instructions, having the person repeat back what they heard to confirm their understanding; and
• Doing a run-through before an important meeting to make sure everyone knows their part.

And there are dozens of more personal examples of what that “last 10 yards” is and how important it can be.

So, next time you want to rush a project or are counting on someone else and doing a hand off (like in a relay race), make sure you’ve done everything you can to guarantee your success.

Your family, your clients, and your colleagues will thank you!

Karen

I’m guessing you might think of Cauliflower as kind of a boring, white vegetable that is smelly when you cook it.

But things have changed.

First of all—have seen all the fabulous colors of Cauliflower?

Purple, green, and orange!

And then there is the distant cousin, Romanesco, which is actually its own vegetable, although it resembles a Cauliflower…kind of.

Although we have been selling baby Cauliflower since the 1980s, you can now find miniature versions of it and Romanesco at farmers markets, upscale supermarkets, and restaurants.

 

During one of my recent visits to New York City, when I ordered roasted Cauliflower for dinner, I guess I should not have been surprised that the chef roasted and served three colors of it—white, purple and green. It was a nice surprise!

Why has Cauliflower become so popular? In addition to being a cruciferous vegetable touted for its extreme health benefits (other well known cruciferous veggies include broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kale), Cauliflower has a “meaty” texture that is quite versatile to work with.

When one of my vegan friends was honored at a dinner a few months ago, the vegan meal option was a Cauliflower steak! As you can see from the photo, instead of breaking the cauliflower into florets to cook, they cut the head crosswise, roasted it in the oven, and served it like a steak!

Dan Barber’s Cauliflower Steak with Cauliflower Puree – Food52.com

Yesterday when I was skimming through one of the dozens of e-newsletters I receive, I found an article in The Shelby Report about what is perhaps the most imaginative and surprising use of Cauliflower—in pizza dough!

Absolutely Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza

As you can see, this very creative company, Absolutely Gluten Free, has found that Cauliflower is a great ingredient for gluten-free pizza dough. (Yes, you can order online!)

What will they think of next?

Bon appétit!

Karen

Each of us has two lives: our personal life and our professional life. You know, like the weekend vs. the rest of the week.

Some people say you are two different people: the You that is at work—and the You on your personal time. But I do not subscribe to that philosophy. I believe there is one true You.

If you know me, you know that a big part of my personality has always been that I want people to like me.

When I opened up an April issue of “Inc.” magazine recently, I was attracted to a two-page article entitled, “Management Playbooks: Reading business tomes by sports celebs is great fun. Oh, and you might learn something.” The article highlighted Phil Jackson’s bestseller “Eleven Rings” and how his most famous management trick was dealing with Chicago Bulls megastar Michael Jordan.

Jackson said, “I learned to dial my ego back without surrendering my authority.”

Image from Inc. Magazine: Management Playbooks

Even though I am not a big sports fan, I learned that sports coaches are important in my life and I can learn a lot from them.

So, is it more important to be liked or to be respected?

I was made to face that very question many years ago. I was on a mother-daughter vacation with my friend Liz, and we got into a discussion about work and management styles each night over some wine after we spent time at the pool with our daughters during the day.

At that time, Liz ran a large retail store for a national chain and I could tell she was a no-nonsense kick-butt manager. She posed that exact question.

That was tough for me because I knew what I should answer. But, deep in my heart, I knew that my whole life had been spent making sure I was liked.

When we returned home, she lent me one of her favorite management books, “Wooden” by legendary basketball coach John Wooden. I’ve read a lot of management books in my life, but had never read one authored by a sports figure. It’s a short book and a quick read, so each night I would read a few chapters, allowing myself to soak in Coach Wooden’s management style.

I learned some of my most meaningful lessons from that book.

One of the first chapters was about how Coach Wooden instructed his players to put on their socks.

Yes, their socks.

The reason the socks were so important was that if a player put them on wrong, and there was a wrinkle in the sock when they put on their shoes, it could cause a blister while they were playing. A blister might affect their performance on the court, and ultimately the score.

A tiny little wrinkle in your sock may not sound like a big deal to most people, much like something basic in your job like promptly returning phone calls. But it can be the difference between winning and losing on the court, or making or breaking a sale in business.

I applied that lesson as a leader in both my personal and professional life. I made sure to mentor my team—and my kids—to learn the basics and to do them well. Accuracy first, and momentum will follow. My team and my kids may not like me very much for pointing out these little things to them to get right, but I realized that I could accept some people not liking me, and that as a leader, it truly was more important to be respected.

What lesson have you learned recently? Share with us in the comments so we can all learn something new!

Karen

One of the first jobs I had when I started working for my mom after college in the early 1980s was ordering and designing packaging.

And one of my projects was to look over our then-bagged Blackeyed Peas. We had introduced the “rehydrated dried, quick-cooking” Blackeyed Peas to the market in 1970, and it was about time we redesigned the package.

Before I could give direction to our design firm, my mom suggested I go visit the head of the Food & Drug Administration in Los Angeles, whose office was a few miles from our location in the Los Angeles Produce Market. She thought talking directly to the source was a good idea, plus it would give me a big picture view of what the FDA looks for in truth-in-packaging.

Our old Blackeyed Pea packaging

So, one afternoon, equipped with some packages of our Blackeyed Peas, I went down to see Mr. Lloyd Lehrer. And he taught me a lesson that I still use today:

“Even if you are in exact compliance with FDA and USDA regulations, you should always ask yourself: will the consumer be able to easily understand what your product really is?”

He was referring to the statement about our Blackeyed Peas that I mentioned earlier: “rehydrated dried, quick-cooking Blackeyed Peas.”

Our Blackeyed Peas were dried beans rehydrated so they looked like they were fresh. Because they looked fresh, we were obliged to be clear on the front panel of our package that they were indeed “rehydrated dried beans,” so a consumer would not think they were buying fresh beans.

I was reminded of this entire experience with the FDA when I read about the recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding POM Wonderful v. Coca-Cola.

POM Wonderful, the marketing geniuses who made pure pomegranate juice a household staple, asserted that Coca-Cola-owned Minute Maid was misleading consumers by labeling a juice blend made primarily of apple and grape juices as a pomegranate-blueberry juice blend.

Of course, POM had an interest in this particular labeling because the Minute Maid juice blend is considered a competitive product. But the lesson here is the same one I learned from the FDA, and it is worth repeating.

“Even if you are in exact compliance with FDA and USDA regulations, you should always ask yourself: will the consumer be able to easily understand what your product really is?”

As consumers, we are all aware of food products that are not exactly what they purport to be.  Sugar is called other names like sucrose, maltose, dextrose, and fructose, and salt content is listed as “unsalted” or “low-sodium.” Calorie counts are for “serving sizes,” not the entire package or can which we might typically consume.

As consumers, we are entitled to truth and simplicity when we purchase food and beverages. It should not be hard to figure out what we are consuming. I am quite pleased that the FDA is working on Nutrition Facts label reform for more practical serving sizes and clearer nutritional information.

Have you ever purchased a food product and discovered surprise ingredients? Feel free to share in the comment section.

Karen

You’ve probably noticed that some weeks I post a blog and some weeks I don’t. When I do, it’s because I have something important to say. When I don’t, it may be because my travel schedule has gotten out of hand or, more likely, because I don’t have something meaningful to write about.

I feel that it’s better to skip writing a blog post if it’s not going to make a difference to you, my readers. I know many bloggers post daily or weekly without fail—even when they don’t have something relevant to write about. I don’t see the point in that. It only wastes my time—and yours.

Fortunately, I’m not alone in this principle.

I was thumbing through the May issue of one of my favorite magazines, “Fast Company,” from the back as I was taught years ago by a very smart person from the University of New Mexico. I turned to page 112—the back page. It’s always an op-ed piece by Baratunde Thurston, author of the New York Times best seller, “How to be Black and CEO,” and co-founder of the creative agency, Cultivated Wit.

His op-ed piece was entitled “A New Social Contract – What if brands stepped away from trying to be part of the conversation and made products worthy of being talked about?”

I loved what he had to say about companies that treat social media as if it were the same as advertising or public relations, instead of an honest conversation with consumers. His bottom line is: why don’t companies concentrate on making great products and services, rather than trying to have the “best” Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat strategy?

Baratunde says the best strategy is to make darn good products.

That’s how I see my blog. I only write when I have something important to say. I’m not just checking it off my list of things to do each week.

So, next time you don’t see a blog from me, don’t worry. It’s just me being honest and relevant.

Karen

Most of us have certain apps on our smart phones that we use regularly. For example, I oftentimes check in on Facebook when I am at interesting places, and I use my airline app to check on the status of my flight times and departure gates.

But it’s not very often that I post a review on Yelp.

This past weekend, my husband and I were in Monterey, California. We walked through Carmel, went to see the Pebble Beach Golf Course (it is stupendous), and did the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula.

And, of course, we went out to eat. I chose restaurants I had tried before or those that were recommended to me by friends. Since we were on vacation, I wanted our food and wine experience to be over the top. So it was fun, yet nerve-wracking, to pick places to dine. I feel like I did a pretty good job of selecting places that fit the bill, so to speak.

However, we did have one poor dining experience. I will not share the name of the restaurant, but it was a steakhouse, one that has received rave reviews for its steaks for many years. It came highly recommended by one of my closest friends.

So, you can imagine how baffled and annoyed we were at the poor experience we had. I was actually so frustrated that as we walked out of the restaurant, I decided to post a review on Yelp.

“Seriously the worst experience ever. Sent dirty wine glasses back three times. Butter dish was already used. Salad did not have toppings. Side dishes were not hot (room temperature). We spoke to the manager twice. And we were a bit surprised that all they did was comp us our wine. Waste of $95.”

At the time, I did not realize that my Yelp account was set up so that my review immediately posted to Twitter. That turned out to be a good thing though, because the next morning I got what appeared to be an auto-response on Twitter that said, “Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your review on Yelp.”

I was annoyed. I have written before about companies that do not respond personally or quickly to posts on Facebook or Twitter.

An appropriate, personal response is imperative with social media. Anyone who is active on Twitter or Facebook will instantly judge a company based on how responsive and truthful it is. If you made a mistake, your product was bad, or your restaurant was having a bad day—admit it. Social media is just like working with your friends and teammates—the truth is always best.

Then, a few hours after that tweet, I got a response on Yelp from the owner himself!

“We’re so sorry to hear this, Karen, but we appreciate you speaking up when you were here. The issues you experienced absolutely are not common around here; we’re just sorry the service was so uneven the night you stopped by. Please know that we plan on putting this feedback to good use immediately!”

My faith in this restaurant was immediately restored.

The owner was honest about them having a bad night and personally responded with no excuses. By doing so, he exceeded my expectations, and I will definitely give the restaurant a second chance.

My first job at Frieda’s back in the 1970s was to answer all consumer letters. We received between 300 and 500 letters a week asking for recipes, and at least a dozen a week required a personal answer. My rule was to respond within 72 hours. That’s right—within three working days I answered all those snail mail inquiries. Now that we have the Internet, email and 800 numbers, our goal here at Frieda’s is to turn around all inquiries within 24 hours, on the same day if possible.

I realize that my expectations are pretty high. Nonetheless, I expect other companies to be as attentive as I was at returning inquiries, and I think it’s fair to expect a comment or a reply when you post on a company’s website or social media platform.

How many of you post reviews or comments online? Do you feel like you are heard when you have a complaint or suggestion? Do they answer you back?

Karen

You may have heard of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in south Orange County. Many years ago it was decommissioned, and there was much controversy about how the vacated base should be used. Last weekend, I was finally able to visit what is now called the Orange County Great Park with my good friend, A.G. Kawamura.

A.G. and his brother, Matthew, own Orange County Produce. Their two main commercial crops are strawberries and green beans. I found out a few years ago that our two companies are the two largest produce company contributors to our local food bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

You may recognize A.G.’s name as he is the former California Secretary of Agriculture. He has since returned to farming full time on his family’s farm.


Before heading off to the Great Park, we had a quick breakfast together at Knowlwood Restaurant, which is in a restored blacksmith shop. I found out that for decades, like many other farmers, local Orange County farmers get coffee and breakfast each morning at Knowlwood to catch up on the local farming gossip and to discuss prices, customers, etc. Seriously, the local farmers’ gathering place is an important part of farming vibrancy.

 

In addition to its commercial strawberry and green beans acreage, Orange County Produce also farms at the park’s Incredible Edible Farm, growing fresh produce specifically for the local food bank! I saw acres upon acres of Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, huge heads of Lettuce, and Kale.

(Click on the thumbnail to view larger image.)

Volunteers are recruited on a daily basis to harvest the food. Teenagers from local high schools, adults from churches and synagogues, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, along with families (large and small), come to learn about how food is grown and to participate in the harvest of this fresh produce.

Due to the heat wave in Southern California, a bumper crop of Cauliflower had to be picked on the morning we were there. You can see that the large bins—holding close to 1,000 pounds each—were being filled to the brim. Then they went to a warehouse to be cooled and then distributed through a local network for food banks and distribution facilities.

This gleaning process is so educational for our local kids. They see how food is grown, and we hope that some of them decide to choose agriculture and/or farming as a career. In the meantime, they are helping feed those who are less fortunate.

Adjacent to the fields are some demonstration gardens to show visitors how they can have a garden at home, even if they don’t have much room or even soil. The vertical gardens were amazing—check out the Strawberries, Chile Peppers, and Kale!

And for the final educational piece, there is the Farm + Food Lab (click on “Things to See” tab). Staff members and Master Gardeners from the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County walk visitors through, explaining such things as integrated pest management (keeping the good bugs) and crop rotation (which can be synergistic). Sample home gardens and an outdoor classroom facilitate learning.

Overall, it was an amazing and enlightening morning.

Before it got too hot, our final stop around 11 a.m. was to pick strawberries in one of Orange County Produce’s fields. I learned the correct way to pick a strawberry and developed a true appreciation for the intense labor involved in producing those amazing morsels of sweetness.

I took a small bag back to the office to share with my coworkers. Even Hanna, who isn’t fond of strawberries, said she had never tasted anything so sweet and delicious.

If you’ve contemplated gardening at home, but don’t know where to start or don’t have much space, check out the Farm + Food Lab for some inspiration!

Karen

If there’s one time when it’s OK to play with your food, it has to be at a produce industry luncheon, of course! I guess I should give you a little background.

Each April, in honor of our company’s anniversary month, we sponsor the Fresh Produce & Floral Council’s bimonthly luncheon. FPFC is our local produce industry group, and my mother, Frieda, was a founding member back in 1963. In 1991 I became the first female chairman. Remember, the produce industry was heavily male-dominated, so even in the early 90s, having a woman chairman was a big deal!

So, back to last week’s luncheon. For a sponsorship fee, we are able to have one or two of our products included in the menu. Each sponsor has five minutes to talk to the audience of several hundred people about what’s new at each of our companies.  This time, one of the co-sponsors, my good friend, Jan DeLyser of the California Avocado Commission, suggested we try something different. She suggested that, because the luncheon speaker was going to talk about our industry’s new partnership with “Sesame Street,” and snacking for young children, we should instead have a “snacking challenge.”

Rather than the four sponsors talking for 20 minutes, that time would be used for each table to come up with a creative snack that would appeal to young kids.

Here’s how the challenge would work. A plate would be set up on each table with products from all four sponsors: baby carrots from Bolthouse Farms, tomatoes from Tasti-Lee Tomatoes, a California avocado, and one of Frieda’s newest products, Purple Snow Peas.  Along with those fresh items, there would also be some seasonings, Greek yogurt, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds.

Photo credit: California Avocado Commission

I have to be honest here—I was completely skeptical about this. I just couldn’t picture a room full of adults, who usually sit and listen to speakers, getting engaged in creating kid-friendly snacks.

Boy, was I wrong.

The buzz in the room was amazing! Everyone was super enthusiastic about the challenge, and it took quite a few minutes to get everyone back in their seats after the challenge. You can see the photos of some of the finished snacks which we all got to name too.

So, what did we learn? One: it’s OK to play with your food. And, two: adults like a change of pace when attending industry events.

Next time you are in charge of a food event like a company luncheon or dinner party, let your guests get creative and design their own meals! Make it a competition with prizes to bring out their competitive side, then see where things go.

Creativity comes from being comfortable with your inner child. Maybe each of us should let our inner child out a little more often.

Karen

The first time we celebrated Earth Day was in 1990. Our company was located in downtown Los Angeles, and in the back of our 44,000-square-foot concrete tilt-up building was a small plot of land, backed up to an abandoned rail spur.

I had a crazy idea: let’s plant some of the exotic fruits and vegetables that we sell and make a garden! We found some like-minded people, such as TreePeople founder Andy Lipkis and some of his fruit-loving friends, and they helped us plant Frieda’s Exotic Fruit Garden.

We had Guavas, Feijoas, Pomegranates, Passion Fruit, seven or eight varieties of bananas, and more! It turned out that the light reflecting off our concrete building created a perfect microclimate in which the bananas and fruits blossomed! (Pun intended.)

So, we launched our garden on Earth Day, April 22, 1990. That year, Earth Day was celebrating its 20th anniversary. That was the same time that we launched our company-wide recycling program and purchased our first cardboard baling machine (to recycle cardboard boxes). Inside our offices, we had a blue recycling trash can for every desk and recycled printed copies through the copy machine. We also encouraged employees to carpool (remember carpool Thursdays?) and actually had some employees telecommute one day a week.

We were accustomed to being trendsetters in the exotic produce business, but we didn’t realize that we were ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability, eco-awareness, and corporate social responsibility as well.

Today, it is commonplace to hear about Earth Day. In fact, our local news website, the Los Alamitos Patch, published “10 ways to celebrate Earth Day All Day” yesterday!

In the past, business people might look down on “tree huggers” or “environmentalists.” Now some of the biggest corporations on the planet are promoting being respectful denizens.

Plastic grocery bags are banned in many cities, and recycling trash cans are the norm in many others. Recycled materials find new life as shopping bags and fashionable purses. Upcycling is also a new trend in which discarded items are repurposed, such as making bottles into light fixtures and turning tire tubes into tote bags.

All of these activities have grown out of the increasing awareness of the need for all of us to be responsible occupants of the planet.

What are you doing to celebrate or acknowledge Earth Day? I’d love to hear about it in your comments below.

Happy Earth Day (and Happy 7th Anniversary to my husband, Garry)!

Karen

I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “hemp,” I think about something you smoke that’s illegal in most states.

And in fact, if you look up “hemp” on Wikipedia, you will find this:

“Hemp is a commonly used term for high growing varieties of the Cannabis plant and its products, which include fiber, oil, and seed. Hemp is refined into products such as hemp seed foods, hemp oil, wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper, and fuel.

“Other variants of the herb Cannabis sativa are widely used as a drug, commonly known as marijuana.”

So, when I attended a seminar on healthy eating at a recent produce convention in Vancouver, Canada, you can imagine my surprise that Adam Hart, the speaker and author of “Power of Food,” was talking about eating hemp seeds! In fact, he brought out a jar of his personal stash (no pun intended) to share with the audience of about 100. He talked about hemp seeds as being a good source of energy, almost like drinking a glass of fresh green juice.

By the way, Adam, who is in his mid-30s, looked AMAZING. He was dressed in his fitness gear, and it didn’t look like his body fat was over 15 percent. You could see that he was strong and muscular.

His story was just as amazing. When he was in his late 20s, he was 40 pounds overweight, depressed, and diagnosed as pre-diabetic. He turned to extreme exercise like rock climbing as a way to deal with his stress, and he changed his eating habits so he could enjoy those activities. You can read his whole story here.

That story may sound similar to those of other inspiring, now-healthy people, but I found his message unique. His philosophy is, “Don’t take anything away from your diet. ADD something to it.”

And, of course, that “something” that he talked about was hemp seeds.

Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical until I took a taste. They were pretty good—crunchy with a mild nutty flavor. The samples he passed around the room were mixed with sesame, sprouted buckwheat, flax, and chia seeds.

What makes hemp seeds good for you is their protein and essential amino acids. So they’re especially great for all you vegans and raw-food eaters out there. And if you are allergic to soy like I am, it’s a good alternative source of protein. Hemp seeds also contain a good amount of magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin E, and fiber. Hemp milk has the same health benefits as the seeds from which it is made.

I hope I’m not sounding like a vitamin peddler! But like many of my friends and colleagues, each year that goes by seems to bring on a few more aches and pains. I find myself looking for alternative ways to stay healthy and fit, whether it’s exercising more often, trying yoga, or changing my eating habits. So what Adam talked about really resonated with me.

Last week, I ran into another produce person who was in the audience with me when Adam spoke. She called out to me, “I bought hemp seeds! Did you?” I told her I did.

We commented to each other that eating one tablespoon of hemp seeds with every meal seemed to give us the boost we need. All those healthy fatty acids are definitely doing their job of moderating our blood sugar level!

So next time you read about hemp seeds—and believe me you will, as they are one of the top trending ingredients in healthy and vegan foods—consider giving them a try.

Enjoy!

Karen

In the May 2014 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, celebrity chef Aarón Sanchez chooses our Dried New Mexico Chiles as one of his top supermarket picks to create south-of-the-border flavors.

A few weeks ago, when I was on my short commute to the office, a commercial on the radio came on for Walgreens. The gist of the radio spot was along the lines of “Be sure to stop by your local Walgreens for snacks. We have soda pop, candy bars, and chips!” And the spot ended with Walgreen’s slogan.

“At the corner of happy and healthy.”

 

 

As you know, I don’t usually publicly call out specific companies in my blog, but there are some important lessons here for all of us. The mixed messaging in that radio spot left me perplexed. Healthy? Sugar-filled drinks and candy, and salt- and fat-laden chips are definitely not healthy.

It seems to me that somewhere in the line of communication between Walgreens’ marketing department and the advertising agency that created the spot, the company’s mission got lost, and nobody questioned the final messaging.

So, being fairly active on social media, I did what most people would do—I took my confusion (and curiosity) to Twitter. (I’m @Karen_Kiwi, by the way.) My expectation was that someone behind @Walgreens would reply back to me, but no one did.

I asked my marketing team to do a little research on Walgreens’ social media activities. It seems that Walgreens only posts “positive messages” and does not address any tweets that might be perceived as negative.

So, I tweeted the same message a second time, and, as expected, I did not hear back. I’m quite sure, however, that I wasn’t the only one who talked openly about Walgreens’ mixed messaging. Within a day, I noticed that the radio spots were no longer about the unhealthy snacks—they are now (finally) aligned with the slogan. Even if Walgreens’ policy is not to respond to negative social media comments, clearly someone is reading them.

This marketing mishap teaches us a few things.

1. An organization needs to communicate its mission, standpoint, and values to everyone it works with—not just within the company. This means articulating both what you DO and DON’T stand for. And being true to your brand and sticking to your mission aren’t just for company employees; they’re for everyone who works with and for your company.

2. Advertising and social media marketing messages must be aligned with your organization’s mission and values—even if you use outside agencies.

3. If your company is on social media, don’t be afraid of criticism and negative comments. The most important thing when something negative is posted on Twitter or Facebook is to respond honestly and in a timely manner. In the world run by Generation C (aka Millenials), the digitally connected 18 to 34 age group, an unanswered query on social media is a big red flag that the company is either hiding something or doesn’t care about its customers.

Lesson learned for me: don’t be afraid to share your observations or opinions even if it’s just on Facebook or Twitter.  You never know what impact you will have!

Have you had a similar experience with organizations that send mixed messages? I’d love to read your stories, so please feel free to comment below.

Karen

Do you love your produce manager? Do you even know him or her? If not, I suggest you introduce yourself.

Many of us in the produce industry have gotten into the habit of befriending our produce managers. After all, a lot of first-hand information on consumer trends and the best tasting, seasonal produce items can be discussed in a conversation. And sometimes I have received feedback on our products or other produce items that has helped me in my business.

But, on a personal level, I think it’s great to get to know your produce manager, and actually the whole produce team at your store. Ever since my daughters were young, I’ve taken them shopping with me. I showed them how to pick a banana (for now or for later in the week), when a pineapple will taste good (smell its aroma at room temperature for a clue), which cantaloupes will taste “melon-y” (again, smell at room temperature and inspect the stem end for a dent–there should be no stem there!) and, of course, how to pick a good Asian Pear, a wrinkled Passion Fruit, and a Jicama.

And we always said “hi” to our produce manager. I loved to tell my kids why I think produce managers are so important.

Back in 1962, a consumer went into a Salt Lake City supermarket and asked the produce manager for a fruit she had tried while on a mission in New Zealand. That produce manager contacted the company’s produce buyer to look for the fruit which was called a “Chinese Gooseberry.”

Fortunately, that buyer called my mother, Frieda, and she was able to locate the fruit a few months later. And the rest is legendary marketing history.

That Chinese Gooseberry was renamed to Kiwifruit, and my mother is credited with introducing the Kiwifruit to American consumers and launching an entire specialty produce category.

But Frieda actually gives credit to that single produce manager. If he had not responded to the request of a single shopper, we may not have had a Kiwifruit industry!

So in honor of ALL produce managers, our company created a national holiday! Yes, that’s right. Two years ago, we registered the name “Love Your Produce Manager Day,” and it will always be on April 2, which happens to be our company anniversary.

We are actually running a little contest on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram this year, and I invite you to join us. Go to your supermarket and introduce yourself to your produce manager. Give a shout-out or post a selfie of you and your produce manager on FacebookTwitter, or Instagram, tagging #LYPM. We’ll randomly choose three winners, one each from the three social media channels, by the end of April 2, to receive $25 gift cards for themselves AND for their produce managers!

And you’ll have a new friend, a new resource for what’s new, what’s in season, and what’s tasting good.

Join me in loving your produce manager!

Karen

P.S. A little side note about what’s happening in the Kiwifruit world right now. Due to cold weather in Chile and a bacterial vine disease in New Zealand called PSA, there will be a significant shortage in the global supply of Kiwifruit for the next six months. So, don’t be surprised if prices at your local market are significantly higher and displays are smaller through November.

When my youngest daughter, Sophia, was in high school, each week she insisted that I buy a box of Cuties® Tangerines at my local market. They were her favorite snack. She would consume two or three Cuties® a day until they were gone.

And, if the quality of the fruit I purchased was not up to par, she let me know it. Sophia has a unique ability to quickly taste if something is “not right” or past its peak, so I became very good at inspecting fruit at the grocery store so I wouldn’t get a rejection at home.

Well, now that Sophia is in college, I purchase citrus fruit for my own palate and I have two new favorites.

SUMO® Citrus is a cross between a mandarin and a California navel orange. These fruits have a distinctive “bump” on the top of the orange, almost like the hairstyle of a sumo wrestler. I’m guessing that’s where the name originates (very clever, don’t you think?).

Sumos have a long history, starting in Japan. (You can read here more about it here.) During my travels around to different growing areas, I really enjoyed visiting Sumo growers. They are family farmers who are passionate about growing. When they discovered this one particular tree at the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection almost a decade ago, they recognized they had a winner.

Many upscale and natural markets across the U.S. now have Sumos. I’ve seen them in Wegman’s in New York, Gelson’s in Southern California, Central Markets in Texas and Whole Foods everywhere. The season is short, so get them now.

I like them for two reasons: one, they are easy to peel; and two, and most important, they are juicy and sweet. Don’t be put off if the bright orange rind looks old, bumpy or has a pebbly look to it. That’s all part of the Sumos’ distinctive appearance. Even when the outside skin looks old, they still taste fantastic.

My second favorite citrus fruit looks completely normal compared to the Sumo. The mini tangerine, called the “Ojai Pixie,” has a unique, super sweet flavor, contributed partially by the area in which it is grown, the Ojai Valley, about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles. This small valley nestles between avocado and citrus groves, with Central Coast wineries just a few miles up the road.

I had the great fortune to meet Jim and Lisa Churchill, who are Ojai Pixie growers on a relatively small ranch. Jim calls himself “Tangerine Man.” I remember sitting with Jim and Lisa a few years ago on folding chairs in their orchard as they told me stories of their Pixies and the other fruits they grow. When I walked through their orchard, I noticed a few trees appeared to be missing.

“Why are the trees missing?” I asked.

They both looked at each other, and chuckled. Then they whispered to me, “We have bears.”

OMG – I remember my heart started beating very quickly and I looked around. They assured me that while their bear loved the citrus trees, it only came out at night. Whew!

It’s easy to understand why a bear would come out for some late night snacking. The outside skin of Ojai Pixies may be super pebbly, bumpy and a bit unattractive, but they are easy to peel and absolutely the sweetest (and cutest) tangerine you’ll ever taste!

Pixies come from other growing areas now, and their outside skin is rather smooth. But I’d recommend that you seek out the Ojai Pixies when they come into their short season in about a week.

So, even with the freeze that destroyed millions of pounds of California citrus fruit during the last two months, there are still some delicious (but expensive) citrus fruits to enjoy. I hope you will make a point to try both of these, and soon, as their season comes and goes rather quickly.

Enjoy!

Karen

If you’ve ever bought shoes online, it’s quite possible that you have heard about Zappos. It’s well known for its quirky company culture as well as its legendary customer service. The company’s founder Tony Hsieh wrote an amazing book, “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose” in 2010, soon after he sold his company to Amazon for $1.2 billion.  Many of us wondered if Amazon would try to change the company’s culture or its systems and processes.

Well, I have firsthand evidence that Zappos’ culture and commitment to customer service are alive and well. And I think there is something meaningful that we can learn from this company.

Here’s the back story: My eldest daughter Alex buys shoes from Zappos. She was sitting at home one night, thinking about buying shoes and what a hassle it is to go to the mall. (Like daughter, like mother, I have to say!) So she went to Zappos where she can order as many pairs of shoes as she wants, in any or multiple sizes, with no hassle whatsoever because you get FREE SHIPPING to have the shoes come to you and when you return the ones you don’t want!

A few months ago, Alex ordered a pair of running shoes. Apparently, they were delivered to her house, but she never received them. So she emailed Zappos with her predicament and they promised to put a UPS tracer on the shipment.

But Zappos dropped the ball. She did not hear back from them at all, and she had already been charged for the shoes.

So, last week, Alex contacted them again, by sending them this email:

Hi there!

About 6 weeks ago I contacted Zappos about how my order never arrived to my house. The person filed a claim with UPS, and UPS followed up with me. I confirmed with UPS that I never received my shoes, and UPS said they would work with Zappos to resolve the issue. Well, the issue has still not been resolved and I am out $90 without shoes. I went to the Brooks website directly to buy shoes because I couldn’t wait any longer for Zappos to get back to me.

Please let me know what the status of this is, and when I can expect my $90 to be refunded to me.

I have heard great things about Zappos’ customer service and hope you all live up to the great things your loyal customers are saying.

Thank you,

Alex

Within four hours, she heard back from customer service:

Greetings Alex!

I, the Amazing Magician James, would be happy to help you!

You have my honest apologies that it has taken us this long to get back to you. I’m not sure what happened to cause the delay, but I’m more than happy to make sure this gets fixed right this instant.

As of right now, your card has just been refunded $97.15, which should show up in 2-10 days, depending on your bank. On top of that, I’ve also issued a $20 coupon, which should be arriving in an email after this one with the code number to use on our site. It’s a one-use coupon, but can be used on anything at all at Zappos.com.
Past that, I’ve sent an email with your admission to the VIP program in it. From now on, anything you order is going Next Business Day Air for free. All you need to do is go to VIP.Zappos.com in the future, and you should only see the option of Next Business Day Air for your orders. It’s a magically fast speed for a customer we certainly dropped the ball with!

If there is anything else at all we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to call, chat, email, send a magical owl, or even a messenger ferret. Your best bet will be with the first three though. The ferrets keep attacking the owls. Really delays the messages.

Magically yours,

The Amazing James!

Zappos Customer Loyalty Team

A picture of the inspiration wall at Zappos HQ. Source: Zappos Insight

What did I learn about customer service?

1. All organizations make mistakes when serving their customers. Amazing and Empowered organizations have people who admit when they flub it up and are empowered to make it right with their customers.

2. When you are trying to make it right with a customer, just giving a refund or apologizing is not enough. The best organizations go the extra mile to show their commitment to customer service.

3. Sometimes it’s good to be a bit silly and even outrageous (thus the owls and messenger ferret). That email sure made me smile. And it kind of defused any anger anyone may have been feeling.

4. Please note that The Amazing James’ department is Zappos Customer Loyalty Team. Not, customer service.

In this age when standing out from the crowd is key to business success, maybe it’s not so bad to make a mistake…if you are empowered (or empower your team) to remedy a problem situation and make lemonade out of lemons.

What do you want to accomplish with your clients. Service or Loyalty?

Karen

P.S. Zappos offers a free Zappos Tour Experience to show off its legendary customer service office at its headquarters in Las Vegas. You just have to make a reservation. For a fee, you can sign up for special Q&A after the tour. The company also offers corporate training programs.

Earlier this week, I spent three days with nearly 100 fellow agriculture-related business owners, bankers, ranchers, farmers and interesting speakers to study a few companies in the agricultural sector. Every two years, I attend the UC Davis Agribusiness Executive Seminar which focuses specifically on agricultural issues and enterprises in California.

Besides the usual business issues of marketing, technology, big data, strategy and future planning, there was really only one thing on everyone’s mind.

Water.

As we Californians all know, even with last weekend’s rain, we are in a serious drought that will affect growers of fresh fruits and vegetables, not only this year, but likely for many years to come. Plus, as I learned, the number one crop by acreage grown in California is hay! And that hay goes to feed beef and dairy cattle.

So, in fact, our entire food chain in California has already been seriously affected by the lack of water and the odd temperature cycle. (Did you know that many fruit trees require a minimum number of chilling hours?).

I have read many articles on the situation; you can read some of them here and here. And just yesterday, I read that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting California right now, offered to help our state’s water situation with conservation and desalination techniques pioneered by his country’s scientists. Having just returned from Israel, I have seen those systems at work. It would be amazing to have the help. After all, we can use all the help we can get.

I am by no means an expert on water, or what farmers can do. But I am a consumer, a constituent, just like you. And I learned some new information and perspectives while talking with my farmer friends that I want to share.

First: Water is really all about water rights. It’s not just about availability.

For example, one of the conference attendees who is a large almond grower raised the issue that homeowners in the Sacramento area do not have water meters at their homes, and thus have no economic disincentive to save water. She asked, “What if meters were put on all the houses, and this caused consumers to save water? Wouldn’t that saved water go to local farmers?”

Surprisingly, the answer was not yes. The answer was, “It depends on who is next in line for water rights.” Your proximity does not guarantee your rights.

Honestly, I never paid much attention to water board elections, or the California Environmental Protection Agency, but I will now. A great resource to find out about water rights, how decisions are made, etc., is the State Water Resources Control Board. Many fellow attendees were wondering about the constant battle between the three main constituents of water: agriculture, environmentalists and urban consumers. It’s a hard choice.

Second: All of us can do our part to conserve water whether it is reducing our consumption at home or work, or educating others around us about conservation methods. An interesting source of information is this National Geographic article.

Third: Did you know that on average, a vegan, a person who eats no animal products whatsoever, indirectly consumes nearly 600 gallons of water per day LESS than a person who eats the average American diet? So the idea of adopting a Meatless Monday eating style, or limiting how many times a week you eat meat or poultry, will actually contribute to saving water.

And most importantly: Be an active citizen. It’s important to voice your opinion and be informed about the issues. Pay attention to the views of your elected officials. If you are intrigued and concerned, check out this great website, WaterEducation.org, and its monthly magazine, “Western Water.”

Finally, if you have children and grandchildren, start educating them early about conserving water and educating them on the issues related to water. California water is our legacy and their future.

Karen

Two weeks ago, I traveled to Berlin to attend the largest produce convention in the world! Yes, believe it or not, in the middle of winter, produce growers, distributors, seed companies, and machine manufacturers from around the world gather in Berlin for Fruit Logistica.

This was my fifth time attending, and each time I get different insights.

First, let me explain the scope and scale of the show. Messe Berlin is the convention facility, and it consists of 18 contiguous buildings and halls; some are multi-level. There are exhibitors from countries on every continent (except Antarctica). The halls are organized by country, which means each hall has its own personality.

For example, the hall that featured growers from Spain was decorated with Spanish-themed architecture facades.  In addition to sampling their produce, I enjoyed espresso, slices of a Spanish version of prosciutto or Jamon Serrano, and Manchego cheese, all served by the exhibitors. In the French hall, potatoes (pommes de terre) were aplenty and oftentimes served with champagne!

One of my favorite global companies, Univeg, took up almost an entire hall. Chefs there created and offered samples of “sushi” made with fresh produce!

If you’ve ever attended a produce convention or food show in the U.S., you can immediately see the contrast in the way other countries do business. Here, it always feels like rush-rush-rush. Our shows are only one or two days long, and buyers complain that there is never enough time to see the entire show and have quality discussions with the companies that are exhibiting.

This is in contrast to this Euro-centric, relationship-oriented show. Usually, more than 50 percent of a booth space at Fruit Logistica is filled with tables and chairs. When you begin to engage in conversation, the first thing your host will say is, “Would you like to sit down and have some coffee?” From my perspective, it is quite refreshing.

One of the highlights of the show each year is the Innovation Awards. Ten products are nominated by a panel of judges. Then, all attendees are encouraged to stop by the Innovation Award Hall to vote. So it is a “People’s Choice” award of sorts.

Photo credit: Fruit Logistica

When I returned to the U.S., I learned that the BBQ Grill-Mix convenience tray won. My personal favorite was the Vegetable Crumbs. Think bread crumbs, but made with vegetables. I love their vibrant colors and the company’s use of processing byproducts. You can see all the products that were in contention this year here.

As I think back on my experience walking the show this year, my big takeaways were:

Something else I realized during my three days at Fruit Logistica is that the world is getting smaller. Even though our California citrus growers have been devastated by a freeze this year, dozens of other countries around the world (Spain, Morocco, Israel, Egypt, Australia, China, etc.) are standing by with supplies of delicious and high quality products to fill our shelves, if needed.

So, don’t be surprised if that mandarin orange you purchase next week at your local grocery store is from a family farm more than 5,000 miles away!

From the world traveler,

Karen

Our produce industry likes to have a little fun.  In the spirit surrounding the Super Bowl, I found out about a bet that was made in a YouTube video between the Washington State Potato Commission and the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee.  Washington challenged Colorado to a football wager: the losing side was to donate 500 pounds of fresh potatoes to the winning city’s food banks for every point scored, and the losing executive director would travel to the winning team’s city to promote its potatoes! In the end, food banks in both Seattle and Denver received 25,500 pounds of potatoes, as Colorado lost the bet and Washington matched the donation in good faith. (Read full story here.)

The bet surely got the produce industry buzzing about potatoes.  What a way to, pardon the pun, kick off Potato Lover’s Month!

And now I see even more coverage of Potato Lover’s Month online. The Idaho Potato Commission has a network of bloggers who talk about the spuds year round, but more so during February. My blogging friends Erika Kerekes hosted a party this weekend for fellow Southern California food bloggers. The “Potato Palooza” was sponsored by the Idaho commission, as reported by Dorothy Reinhold. I wish I had been in town for that potato party!

Our company has had a role in the potato business, introducing “new varieties” like the first yellow-fleshed potato, the Yellow Finnish, in 1982, and the first baby red potatoes in 1983! Those tiny potatoes were also the first specialty potatoes to be packaged for consumers.

We have so many new varieties of specialty potatoes that it’s hard to pick a favorite. I love to roast the gorgeous, red Amarosa and Purple Fiesta Organic Fingerling Potatoes. They’re just so beautiful and delicious. But when it comes to mashed potatoes, nothing tops Organic Klamath Pearl Potatoes.

So, I hope you’ll make February YOUR Potato Lover’s Month and try at least one new variety.

Bon appétit,

Karen

You’ve probably all heard about the big news. CVS/pharmacy made an amazing announcement that it will stop selling cigarettes and all other tobacco products at its more than 7,600 stores nationwide by October of this year, making it the first national pharmacy chain to do so.

“Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is simply the right thing to do for the good of our customers and our company. The sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose—helping people on their path to better health…By removing tobacco products from our retail shelves, we will better serve our patients, clients and health care providers while positioning CVS Caremark for future growth as a health care company. Cigarettes and tobacco products have no place in a setting where health care is delivered. This is the right thing to do.”

The first thing I said when I heard the news was, “Well done, CVS!” I commend the company on its decision to support its mission of “helping people on their path to better health,” even though it will lose at least $2 billion in annual revenue from tobacco and tobacco-related purchases.

Soon after that announcement, some people pointed out that CVS is just putting a smart PR spin on its need to cut tobacco sales losses. While that may be true, it doesn’t make the company’s decision any less impactful. Or as President Obama put it: CVS is setting “a powerful example” and making “a choice that will have a profoundly positive impact on the health of our country.”

What really inspires me is CVS’ commitment to its mission.

Standing by your mission is something I understand well. After all, here at Frieda’s, our mission is “Changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables,” and we’ve committed to this crusade for over 50 years.

By introducing and encouraging consumers to try new produce items, we hope to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption to help them stay on the course of a healthier lifestyle.

Everything we do aims to educate our consumers and our clients alike. Our sales team is consistently out there introducing new items to the marketplace. Our website, our social media channels, and even this blog, have helped start a conversation with consumers about fresh produce.

The Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert mentioned a very interesting statistic at the Fresh Produce and Floral Council luncheon a few days ago: One in 10 Americans say that their diet is “as healthy as it could be.”

Looking at that another way, nine in 10 Americans know their diets aren’t. That is a lot of Americans not eating right. And that means there’s still a lot more work for Frieda’s to do!

What about you? What’s your company’s mission—or even your personal one? What are you doing to show your commitment to your mission?

If you don’t have a goal for improving your health, how about taking just a few minutes out of your busy schedule to think of one and write it down. Once you’ve planted the seed in your brain, it will be a lot easier to make your mission your reality, just like we do here at Frieda’s.

Karen

Our President and CEO Karen Caplan is featured in the Winter 2014 issue of Where Women Create BUSINESS.

“Karen Caplan takes pride in continuing the family business that her mother [Frieda Caplan] built from the ground up and carrying on the company’s involvement within their community.”

Well deserved, Karen!

As you probably know, today, January 31, is the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The celebration starts on the second new moon after the winter solstice and goes on for 15 days. This year, we welcome the Year of the Horse.

According to Chinese legend, when the Jade Emperor—the Emperor in Heaven—summoned all the animals, he designated the first 12 that appeared to be calendar signs. Thus, there is a 12-year cycle of the lunar calendar, with each year represented by a different animal, with its own personality and philosophy.

If you were born in the Year of the Horse, you have such character traits as strength, energy, and an outgoing nature. You are extremely animated and thrive when you are the center of attention. Find out what your Chinese animal symbol is and what it means about you here.

You’re probably wondering what the connection is between Chinese New Year and fresh produce. Well, more than 40 years ago, our company worked with many of our growers and our retail customers to offer all sorts of Chinese vegetables like Boy Choy, Napa Cabbage, Snow Peas, Bean Sprouts, Chinese Long Beans, and Fresh Ginger Root, to name a few. It seemed that the perfect time to promote them was around the Chinese New Year holiday, which always falls in January or February.

If you can imagine, four decades ago very few U.S. growers were even producing these vegetables and even fewer supermarkets were stocking them. So, it was fun to create new packaging, promotions, and contests to get produce managers and consumers excited about these new items. Nowadays, every single market you walk into offers most of these Asian vegetables. Chinese restaurants have become ubiquitous, and if you want to order stir-fried vegetables at a restaurant, no one blinks an eye.

In fact, Chinese New Year has become so popular that this year the famed retailer IKEA created a line of products just for the holiday! And if you like Las Vegas, many of the casinos and resorts are featuring special Chinese New Year vacation packages, authentic cuisine at their restaurants, and tournaments based in Chinese culture and tradition.

So this week as you’re planning meals to serve at home—or trying to decide where to go out for lunch or dinner—think about celebrating Chinese New Year in your own special way by trying a different Chinese vegetable or dish each day. Here are some suggestions:

Gung Hay Fat Choi! (Happy New Year!)

Karen

The chairs of the Federal Reserve System have always been men. Now, the 15th leader of our national bank is Janet Yellen, the first woman to chair it.

With this appointment, Janet is opening doors to women in economics and finance everywhere. In a way, her accomplishment reminds me of how my mother, Frieda, opened doors for women in the produce business, when she founded our company in 1962, as the first woman to own a produce business in the U.S.

Seven years ago when I was a director of the Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, I had the good fortune to get to know Janet when she became president of the 12th District, which covers much of the western U.S. We had several dinners together during our overlapping terms of office. The conversations we had weren’t all about work.

We also talked about our respective families. I asked after her husband, Nobel Prize winner George Akerlof, and their son, Robert, who is an economics professor in England. And she peppered me with questions about my daughters, our business, and the ins-and-outs of the produce industry.

So, when I saw her picture on this week’s cover of “TIME” magazine, I got a big smile on my face.

I am privileged to know yet another trailblazer.

So, when I read about the Senate’s confirmation hearing on Janet’s position, I sent a congratulatory email to her assistant, figuring that she would be too busy to pay attention to my personal note. I never thought I would hear back from her.

But I did. Janet took the time to send me a personal email and, as always, ask about my family. I’m sure she was taking the Christmas holiday period to take many deep breaths and relax before traveling back to Washington, D.C.

It is Janet’s connection to people that makes her the perfect person for this job. A woman of great strength, she also has a deep understanding of the challenges of our economy. Plus, Janet knows that statistics aren’t everything. She recognizes how the economy affects people in the real world in a very real way, and that our economy is made up of individuals like you and me. Even the “TIME” magazine article made note of that. (You will need a subscription to read the article online, or you can pick up a copy from a newsstand now.)

Janet is also one to welcome challenges and to challenge the status quo in pursuit of the truth. If you watched the Senate confirmation hearing on C-SPAN, you would have seen the twinkle in Janet’s eye when Senators asked her difficult questions. She clearly loved it.

During my next trip to Washington, D.C., I hope Janet and I will, once again, have dinner together. I can hardly wait to hear about her new adventures as the Sixteen Trillion Dollar Woman!

Karen

Have you ever wondered how my company, Frieda’s, knows when fruit is ripe and sweet?  Well, today was a good reminder for me on just how we do that.

Over the New Year’s holiday, my husband and I had friends visiting from Houston, and before they left, they stopped by my office for a quick tour.

After a visit in the offices, we donned our hairnets, sanitized our hands and put on our gloves—all requirements for our facility.

We walked through the repacking area where large boxes of products are repacked into smaller ones.  For example, we might receive a box of 40-pound Habanero Chile Peppers, which we will repack into 5-pound and 10-pound cartons.  My friends were fascinated with the large number of projects we were working on at one time.

After we visited the receiving area which opens at 4 a.m. each day, we stopped by the Quality Assurance (QA) inspection station.  Our QA Supervisor Nicole had prepped the area with some samples of tropical fruits: Cherimoya, Dragon Fruit, Gold Kiwifruit and Horned Melons (also known as Kiwano®).

It was fun to watch Nicole demonstrate the use of a refractometer which assists her in determining the ripeness and sweetness of fruit.  The device measures the amount of soluble solids—the ratio of sugar to acid—in the fruit being evaluated.  The measurement is also referred to as the Degree Brix or just Brix.

It was so interesting to see the difference in Brix of the Golden Kiwifruit, which was 13.5 percent to the Horned Melon which was a 4 percent. It kind of makes sense because the Horned Melon is a member of the Cucumber family, so we would not expect it to be sweet.

You can see that Nicole squeezes the juice from the fruit, right onto the open refractometer, and then closes it. She looks through the lens and the Degree Brix is reflected through the prism of the refractometer.

In case you are wondering, most supermarket produce warehouses have similar equipment and we ask them for their expectations before we ship to them.  That’s why we test all our produce, before we receive it at our warehouse.

I don’t think you will ever find a refractometer at an actual grocery store, as it is a very expensive piece of equipment, close to $500. But if you have some time, check out this YouTube video on how to use one!

As you can see, sometimes picking a ripe piece of fruit is not as easy as squeezing a cantaloupe or smelling a strawberry!  My friends were very happy to have learned something new.

My very happy guests, Laura and Jerry Kent

Karen