Los Alamitos, CA (September 2021) – Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are back in season, and it’s the ideal time to showcase these colorful tubers. Frieda’s makes it easy with eye-catching, stand-alone shippers that help consumers realize they can easily add color and flair to their holiday meal.
Research shows that rich-hued purple vegetables are in demand, and pie is hotter than ever. A recent survey reveals that half of consumers plan to serve sweet potato pie this Thanksgiving, and more than one-third of consumers specifically said that they plan to make Stokes Purple® sweet potato pie with maple whipped cream. Surprisingly, men showed a bias for this versus women, and the purple pie over-indexes in popularity with consumers ages 18-44. 1
Why, you might ask? It might have something to do with the mixed sentiment of the holidays this year. Consumers want to celebrate but are still cautious to do so, so they’re looking for small ways to dial up the mood this Thanksgiving. In fact, 20% of consumers agreed that Thanksgiving would feel more festive if the food were more colorful (and this was as high as 25% amongst those with children). Additionally, 64% of consumers agreed that they wanted to make a beautiful dessert that adds color to the table, especially amongst consumers ages 25-34. 1
What better way to add display space for Stokes Purple sweet potatoes than an exclusive shipper, available only from Frieda’s? The eye-catching display showcases a camera phone-friendly ingredient list and QR code for the full recipe.
“Shopper interest in Stokes just keeps going up. Previously thought to be a specialty potato, our research shows that all demographics are buying Stokes year-round, and Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to gain trial in all stores,” says Alex Berkley, Frieda’s director of sales. “Our tastebud-tantalizing signage will leave your shoppers craving our signature Stokes Purple® sweet potato pie.”
Organic and conventional Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are available now through May in 15-lb. and 40-lb. cartons. Every potato is labeled to reduce front-end checker error. An organic 12/3-lb. bag option is also available.
Call your Frieda’s account manager today for help in planning your ads now and pre-booking supply.
1 C+R 1,000 person study, August 2021
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Specialty Produce has been inspiring new food experiences for friends, families, and food lovers everywhere since 1962. From kiwifruit and dragon fruit, to Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes and habanero peppers, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 unique fruits and vegetables to the U.S. marketplace. Founded by produce industry trailblazer Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, subject of the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit,” the family company is owned and operated by Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in Orange County, California. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce, and Friedas.com. Inspire. Taste. Love.
Los Alamitos, CA (June 2021)– Did you know that 38% of shoppers say they are more likely to shop at YOUR store if you carry red dragon fruit, and 62% of shoppers say these bright-fleshed fruits are worth paying more for, compared to traditional white-fleshed dragon fruit1? Straight from volcanic hills of Nicaragua, Frieda’s non-irradiated Fire Dragons™ red dragon fruit is in season and perfect to fire up Fourth of July displays.
To help showcase the inside of the fruit, Frieda’s has created a special ElastiTag® to help buyers and shoppers identify Fire Dragons™, Frieda’s red-fleshed dragon fruit. The tag suggests how easy it is to slice, scoop & enjoy and it helps shoppers understand what the inside tastes like compared to Snow Dragons™ and Honey Dragons®. These tags are sure to capture shoppers’ attention. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 62% of consumers agreed that Frieda’s new dragon fruit branding would catch their eye in the store, and 63% agreed that is visually appealing2.
The striking appearance of the fruit make this a must for attention-grabbing displays. “We recommend merchandising Fire Dragons™ alongside young coconuts (on ice) and blueberries to create a seasonally relevant color break for the July 4th holiday,” says Alex Berkley, director of sales at Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “I plan to use Fire Dragons™, Rambas™ Rambutan and blueberries to make these deliciously fun red, white & blue kabobs for my holiday weekend BBQ.”
Available in 6, 9, 12 and 18 counts, the fruit is expected to be available all summer and through October. Contact your Frieda’s account representative today for merchandising suggestions that drive higher traffic to your produce department and increase dollar ring and overall sales.
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Specialty Produce has been inspiring new food experiences for friends, families and food lovers everywhere since 1962. From kiwifruit and dragon fruit to Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes and habanero peppers, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 unique fruits and vegetables to the U.S. marketplace. Founded by produce industry trailblazer Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, subject of the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit,” the family company is owned and operated by Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in Orange County, California. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce and Friedas.com. Inspire. Taste. Love.
Sources: 1 April 2019. C+R Research Omnibus Survey. Sample size of 1,000 people. Representative of total U.S. demographics.
2 April 2021. C+R Research Omnibus Survey. Sample size of 1,000 people. Representative of total U.S. demographics.
Los Alamitos, CA (March 2021)– International Women’s Month, celebrated in March, is the perfect time to spotlight the incredible women who have paved the way for women all over the world. As a proud female and family founded, owned and led business, Frieda’s Specialty Produce wanted to do something innovative to recognize women pioneers.
A campaign unveiled across multiple social media platforms features our founder Frieda Rapoport Caplan, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and poet laureate Amanda Gorman. Their iconic styles and personalities were brought to life through produce like colored cauliflower, Stokes Purple® sweet potato, shishito peppers and Snow Dragon™ fruit.
“My mother would have gotten such a kick out of seeing her portrait recreated out of dragon fruit and colored cauliflower,” says Karen Caplan, president and CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “It brings such joy to honor her alongside the legendary RBG and the voice of the next generation, Amanda Gorman. We wanted to focus on women who have inspired us, but in true Frieda’s fashion do it in a way that makes people smile.”
This International Women’s month we salute all female trailblazers inside and outside the produce industry, from fearless frontline warriors to the female scientists working on the vaccines and all of the moms in between. To all the women in our lives, thank you for everything you do!
Los Alamitos, CA (February 2021) — The lull between the Super Bowl and Easter often leaves grocery stores and shoppers looking for a bit of retail excitement—making it the perfect time to leverage that treasure hunt mentality and introduce new tropical favorites like dragon fruit.
Dragon fruit is no longer just for summer, in fact, 42% of shoppers said they would like to buy dragon fruit year-round1. With this in mind, Frieda’s has created attention-getting, limited-edition ElastiTags® that showcase the different varieties of dragon fruit, including Honey Dragon™ and Snow Dragon™. These tags make it easier for shoppers to know what the fruit will look and taste like on the inside and they give consumers a reason to try both varieties.
“Promoting multiple varieties through inviting, bountiful displays is key right now, as shoppers are visiting stores less but stocking up when they do shop,” says Cindy Sherman, director of marketing innovation & insights at Frieda’s. In fact, a recent survey from Deloitte Consulting found that 54% of shoppers said they are visiting stores less frequently than before, with most only going to the store once every two weeks2.
Merchandise the two varieties together, alongside citrus favorites like sumo mandarins and pixie tangerines, to increase dollar ring. Or, add some excitement to your tropicals table with an eye-catching display of dragon fruit, jackfruit and pineapples for a vibrant and fun display.
Frieda’s has strong supply of these two dragon fruit varieties from Ecuador and they will be available until the end of April.
Contact your Frieda’s account representative today for merchandising suggestions, including our colorful 3-tier shipper, that maximize your sales per square foot.
Source: 1 C&R 1,000 person study, February 2020 2 Deloitte Fresh Food Consumer Survey, 2020
Los Alamitos, CA – (December 2020) – While past food predictions may have highlighted adventurous eating and culinary feats, this year’s pandemic has firmly put the focus back on classic comfort … with a twist. The tastemakers at Frieda’s Specialty Produce, known for spotting food trends with longevity, have some interesting predictions up their sleeves to help retailers make room for an exciting 2021.
“The pandemic has shifted the focus from macro trends such as travel, celebrity chefs and molecular gastronomy, to the realities of everyday living. Quarantining, social distancing, and continued sheltering in-place means that 2021 will be primarily influenced by what’s directly around us, with an emphasis on health, wellness and that feel-good factor we so desperately need,” says Cindy Sherman, director of marketing, insights & innovation at Frieda’s Specialty Produce.
So, what does this mean for shoppers? Here’s what you can expect in 2021:
Bubbles Up!
Whether it’s kombucha or sparkling water with outrageous flavor combinations, effervescence is exploding! These fizzy tonics combine the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics, plant fiber, and functional herbs and botanicals to deliver flavor and fitness. We love mixing aperol with muddled rambutan and a splash of grapefruit juice for a fun, fruity spritz!
Down Home Comfort
Cooking fatigue is real. Bread has been baked, spirits have been distilled and soufflés have risen. Help shoppers hang on a little longer by inspiring them to elevate their at-home game. Incorporate Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes into sweet treats like babka or homemade ice cream.
Rule Reversal
Cereal for dinner and mac & cheese for breakfast? After a year of extremes, the focus is on what’s best for YOU! Bored with the same old Zoom routine? Play a rousing game of spice roulette with shishito peppers, or spice up your charcuterie boards with offbeat options like dragon fruit and rambutan. It’s time to bend the rules.
Hold the Bread…
…and the meat, but not the flavor! Shoppers are being spoiled for choice with alternatives that pair better-for-you ingredients with classic comfort. Hearts of palm pasta, cricket-flour cookies, and so much more. Going paleo? No problem! Try Stokes Purple® sweet potato crostinis, or crispy jicama taco shells filled with meaty—but meatless—pulled jackfruit!
Polychromatic Plates
After a gloomy year, it’s time for bold graphics, pigmented palettes and foods in saturated hues. Paint your plate with beet-dyed noodles, rosy watermelon radish with pesto hummus, or a sprinkle of vibrant blue spirulina powder. Bright and oh-so-satisfying!
Los Alamitos, CA (October 2020) – As the ghost of COVID continues to linger, Halloween is expected to look a little different this year, making now the perfect time to inspire shoppers and their families to try something new in the produce department!
According to a recent survey, 45% of shoppers are looking to find new and different things in the grocery store to make life a little more fun and interesting since the onset of the global pandemic.1
“I look forward to our Spooky Foods promotion all year long because it’s a great way to get shoppers to try something they have never had before. This year, I’m especially excited about our super-sweet yellow dragon fruit from Ecuador with a Brix level as high as 23…so sweet your kids will think it’s candy!” says Allen Demo, director of business & grower development at Frieda’s.
Just because consumers are opting for small Halloween gatherings at home or letting kids trick-or-treat within their social pods, doesn’t mean that Halloween needs to be less fun. Remind them about the joys of Halloween by displaying carved faces on apples and kiwanos®, creating jackfruit jack-o-lanterns, and staging rambutans to show off the fruit’s fearsome spiky sweetness! Don’t forget to add festive decorations from other departments to help to create the full Halloween effect.
Make the produce department a destination this Halloween by stocking up on fruits and vegetables that will give your shoppers something to cackle about. Your Frieda’s account manager will help you create the perfect potion for a chilling Spooky Foods display to drive incremental sales this October.
Source: 1 May 2020. C+R Research Omnibus Survey. Sample size of 1,000 people. Representative of total U.S. demographics.
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Specialty Produce has been inspiring new food experiences for friends, families and food lovers everywhere since 1962. From kiwifruit and dragon fruit to Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes and habanero peppers, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 unique fruits and vegetables to the U.S. marketplace. Founded by produce industry trailblazer Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, subject of the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit,” the family company is owned and operated by Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in Orange County, California. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce and Friedas.com. Inspire. Taste. Love.
Los Alamitos, CA (September 2020) – October 1 marks the 43rd annual World Vegetarian Day. World Vegetarian Day was started in 1977 and serves to kick off Vegetarian Awareness Month, a month-long celebration of plant-based foods.
More and more people are embracing a plant-based lifestyle, and the emergence of COVID-19 has only accelerated that movement. Healthy, plant-based eating is fast emerging as a way for shoppers to feel in control of their health, while also giving their bodies the best chance of fighting off disease. According to IRI, fresh produce sales are up over 10% compared to last year, versus flat growth at the start of the pandemic1.
“The pandemic has resulted in what we like to call a ‘health trigger moment,” which is the point where consumers start to rethink their approach to diet and lifestyle. Right now consumers are making shifts in how they eat fueled by the quest for immunity, which is why World Vegetarian Month is the perfect opportunity to plug into the immunity-boosting benefits produce shoppers are looking for,” says Cindy Sherman, director of marketing & insights at Frieda’s.
How can your produce department capitalize on this movement and capture the shoppers’ attention? We suggest focusing on plant-based, immunity-boosting items, including the Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes (with almost 4 times the vitamin C of an orange sweet potato); Turmeric, known for its immunity-boosting, inflammation-fighting properties; and Ginger with its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
This World Vegetarian Day, be sure to have the fruit and vegetable variety shoppers are seeking for their health and wellness. Call your Frieda’s account manager today for ideas on how to make your store a vegetarian destination all month long!
Source: 1IRI, 210 Analytics, Produce Marketing Association data 8/23/20
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Specialty Produce has been inspiring new food experiences for friends, families, and food lovers everywhere since 1962. From kiwifruit and dragon fruit to Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes and habanero peppers, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 unique fruits and vegetables to the U.S. marketplace. Founded by produce industry trailblazer Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, subject of the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit,” the family company is owned and operated by Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in Orange County, California. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce, and Friedas.com. Inspire. Taste. Love.
Los Alamitos, CA (September 2020) – Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are back in season and shoppers are ready for them now more than ever. So get ready for holiday demand with shippers only available from Frieda’s.
Research shows that rich-hued purple vegetables are hot sellers. In fact, retailers carrying Frieda’s exclusive Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are seeing as much as 20% increases in weekly dollar same-store sales on this item vs. prior years’ sales, according to Nielson data1. These purple sweet potatoes are flying off the shelves!
Why you might ask? It’s the nation’s focus on functional foods, which is peaking now. According to the Mayo Clinic, functional foods are nutrient-dense items that promote optimal health while reducing the risk of disease. Examples include items like oatmeal, nuts, berries, and purple sweet potatoes. The Hartman Group research firm is predicting that functional foods will hit a high this year as COVID-concerned, health-oriented shoppers look to empower themselves and power up their diets with antioxidants.
Frieda’s suggests creating superfood displays that combine items like Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, fresh turmeric, ginger root, and citrus. Tout the nutrition benefits of these fruits & vegetables and turn your produce department into a fresh, functional foods destination.
“Stokes are in high demand this year as we anticipate that holiday cooking will have a functional spin,” says Alex Berkley, Frieda’s director of sales. “Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are ideal to promote for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and our display shipper is a great way to showcase them and add incremental shelf space. We recommend using signage to suggest that shoppers create healthy holiday favorites like Stokes Purple® sweet potato pie.”
Organic and conventional Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are available now through May in 15-lb. and 40-lb. cartons. Every potato is labeled to reduce front-end checker error. An organic 12/3-lb. bag option is also available.
Call your Frieda’s account manager today for help in planning your ads now and pre-booking supply.
Source: 1 Nielsen Data xAOC, regional retailer in the NE. 52 weeks ending 7/11/20
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Specialty Produce has been inspiring new food experiences for friends, families, and food lovers everywhere since 1962. From kiwifruit and dragon fruit to Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes and habanero peppers, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 unique fruits and vegetables to the U.S. marketplace. Founded by produce industry trailblazer Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, subject of the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit,” the family company is owned and operated by Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in Orange County, California. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce, and Friedas.com. Inspire. Taste. Love.
