Anaheim, CA (July 2023) – Spicing up summer menus and igniting shoppers’ taste buds, Frieda’s Branded Produce proudly presents the season’s hottest trend: Hatch Chile Peppers! With their zesty, buttery flavor, these limited-time peppers are the season’s annual best-seller.
Grown exclusively in Hatch, New Mexico, the “Chile Capital of the World,” these crowd-pleasing peppers boast a certified authentic pedigree that guarantees an exceptional culinary experience. Their bold flavor and smoky aroma make them the perfect complement to any dish that craves a kick of flavor.
“Hatch Chile season is always the most exciting summertime event everyone raves about! The pepper’s limited availability and popularity amongst ‘chile heads’ and ‘foodies’ alike bring a delightful sense of urgency that creates buzz all summer long,” shared Alex Jackson, Vice President of Sales & Procurement at Frieda’s. “They not only deliver unforgettable flavor experiences but also have the power to boost sales and foot traffic in-store, keeping consumers coming back for more. Hatch Chile promotions are truly a win-win for both retailers and consumers!”
One of the standout features of Hatch Chile Peppers is their incredible versatility. Whether grilling, sautéing, stuffing, or roasting, these peppers bring the heat and deliver an unforgettable bold, smoky taste. Hatch Chile Roasting events are widespread around the country as roasting the pepper brings out the smokiness- leveling up the flavor to create an eating experience that will leave you wanting more.
Frieda’s Hatch Chile Peppers come in a high-graphic 25-pound case, which may be used for side-stack displays, and in 1- and 2-pound retail pouches with consumer-friendly stickers guiding shoppers to choose between mild, medium, and hot heat levels. To further support retailer merchandising efforts, the team at Frieda’s created a vibrant, eye-catching display bin complete with a QR code, leading shoppers to tasty recipe inspiration.
Take advantage of the opportunity to add this seasonal, sales-boosting pepper to your produce category. Our team of experts can provide you with merchandising suggestions that will increase traffic to your produce department, lift sales, and help you turn up the heat this Hatch Chile season. Email us to find out more!
For more information about Frieda’s Branded Produce and their Hatch Chile Peppers, please visit www.friedas.com.
Los Alamitos, CA (July 2022) – The famous, flavorful, limited-edition Hatch Chiles are back in season and the quality is some of the best we’ve seen in recent years. Frieda’s Branded Produce is kicking off the season with strong supplies and outstanding flavor.
Frieda’s works in partnership with certified, authentic growers located in Hatch, New Mexico—yes, there is a certification! This popular pepper supply is anticipated to pick up after the middle of July, with the season expected to continue through the end of September.
“Dedicated fans of the peppers drive across town—and state lines—to get their Hatch Chiles by the case,” said Alex Jackson, Director of Sales at Frieda’s. “We’re pleased to be part of the annual trek to enjoy these fresh, zesty authentically Hatch Valley-grown peppers.”
Frieda’s friendly and inviting pouch bag is designed to bring ‘Hatchlings’ (shoppers new to Hatch Chiles) into the fold, growing the community of Chile Heads year-over-year. According to a recent study 33% of shoppers avoid buying new fruits or vegetables because they don’t know how to use them. However, 48% of shoppers say that friendly, approachable packaging gets them over that hump to try something new. The Frieda’s packaging offers consumers descriptive flavor details and recipe inspiration that draws everyone into this irresistible pepper!
“Grown in the fertile rich soil of Hatch Valley, New Mexico, the warm dry summer days combined with cool crisp nights, helps create the perfect elements for the unique flavor of Hatch green chile peppers,” said Allen DeMo, Director of Procurement and Sourcing at Frieda’s. “This cannot be replicated in other regions of New Mexico. It’s unique to Hatch Valley product.”
Frieda’s offers Hatch Chiles in a branded 25-pound case, which can be used for side-stack displays, and in 1- and 2-pound retail pouches with convenient stickers guiding the consumer to choose between mild, medium, and hot heat levels.
Our dedicated team offers merchandising suggestions that drive higher traffic to your produce department, while increasing dollar ring and overall sales. Call your account manager today to receive samples and learn how to make a Hatch splash in your store this year!
Source: C+R 1,000 person study, 2022
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.
About this time last year, I wrote about visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA. Due to COVID, the library was only partially open to visitors, so that visit left me with the feeling that I should return to see more.
So during this past year, I not only visited the Nixon Presidential Library for a second time, but I also made the trek to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA (a two-hour drive from where I live).
What a contrast! The Nixon Library is tucked in a heavily residential area, and is a popular venue for weddings, proms and other events. The teeny-tiny home where Richard Nixon and his four brothers grew up in are part of the Presidential Library complex. You get the feeling of Nixon’s humble beginnings. And through the permanent exhibits, I got a real feeling about the challenges of Nixon’s Presidency and the world in which he had to function as the leader of the free world.
In contrast, the Reagan Presidential Library sits on more than 100 acres and the main building is an enormous Spanish-style hacienda surrounded by gardens, plus both Reagan and his beloved wife Nancy, are buried there. There is a replica of the Oval Office with a curious twist. According to our tour guide, when President Reagan came to visit the Presidential Library while it was being built, he commented that the ceiling wasn’t high enough and he wanted it to be an actual replica of the real Oval Office in The White House. So, the architect measured it, and indeed it was a few inches too short! So, the replica Oval Office was modified with a couple of steps down leading into the Oval Office, so that the ceiling was at the proper height (and when you exit, you walk up a short ramp, to put you back at the level of the rest of the museum).
But, the most magnificent part of the Reagan Library is the pavilion in which Air Force One is displayed. More than one-half of the room is glass, so that it appears (if you use your imagination) as if the plane is ready for takeoff. It is truly breathtaking to see the airplane, which carried several presidents and their entourages around the world. Frankly, it appears much less techy and fancy than the images you see on television.
As I walked through the many exhibits at the Reagan Library that were open that day, I was struck by exactly how numerous the challenges are that a sitting President faces on any given day. Literally, I turned to Jack while we were walking through one of the galleries at the Reagan Library and commented on how incredible the amount of pressure was and how many big decisions needed to be made by the sitting President—it was quite daunting.
Philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I find studying history is most interesting and memorable, and I believe there is a great opportunity to learn lessons from the past. And it seems so much more real to me when I do it through the lens of people. That must be why I like biographies and autobiographies so much.
Visiting the Presidential Libraries allows me to learn about our own American history through the eyes of Presidents, past and present. One of the surprises for me was that there is so much more on display in addition to memorabilia of the President. There are temporary exhibits including other presidents, world events, books, movies and more. Most of the Presidential Libraries are set up for students to visit and to be a learning lab. And just like when you visit Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capitol for the first time—including all the monuments and museums—you leave with a new appreciation of our nation’s roots and the complicated journey over the past 200-plus years.
And so it has been for me. I’ve been able to relive the era around Nixon’s Presidency (1969–1974) and Reagan’s Presidency (1981–1989) from the time I was still in elementary school through when I gave birth to my first child.
The added bonus? While at the Nixon Library, there was an exhibit highlighting books on all the Presidents. I snapped a photo of one, which I read last week titled, Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump by Kate Anderson Brower. Brower is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, and this book looks at the relationships between members of the Presidents Club and includes an Oval Office interview with President Trump. The “Presidents Club” is made up of the living Presidents and is an informal, yet important support group for the current acting President of the United States. The book was fascinating, as she spoke specifically about the personal and professional relationships between former Presidents Carter, Bush 41, Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton (jokingly called Bush 42 due to his close personal relationship with George H.W. Bush after they both left office) along with insights from her personal interview with Trump while in office.
So, as you are making travel plans for 2022, I encourage you make time to visit one of these amazing fifteen repositories of American History that represent these Presidents:
Can’t wait to learn more history this next year when I visit at least a couple more!
Karen
Anyone who has gone out to eat with me knows that as soon as we are seated and the server comes to our table, the first three words out of my mouth are always, “What’s your name?”
I think years ago my two daughters were embarrassed by my question. But as they have grown older and wiser, I think they agree that by asking the server’s name, you establish a closer connection.
I’ve found 100% of the time that once I know the server’s name, I find ways to use it. I thank them for taking my order, for bringing me my drink, for refilling my water, etc. And with this more authentic, personal connection—using their first name—I always get better service. My party seems to get more attention and when we leave, it feels like we had a superior experience.
Sometimes, the server will ask me my name in return! That always catches me off guard, but when they use my name when addressing me, my positive experience is significantly increased.
So, that made me think, how could other businesses or positions leverage using someone’s name?
For example, when I go to the doctor, it would make a positive difference for me if the receptionist or nurse would introduce themselves: “Hello, I’m Sandra and I am the doctor’s nurse. I will be taking you to your examination room, but first I need to get your vitals.” Surely that’s a lot better than barking out my name from the waiting room and then, after a walk down a long hallway, them indicating to me to sit down to get my blood pressure taken or get my weight.
Or, when I arrive at a restaurant, wouldn’t it enhance my experience to have the person at the host station say, “Hello Ms. Caplan, so happy to have you with us this evening. I am Thomas and I am checking to make sure your table is ready. It will be my pleasure to take you there now! Please follow me.”?
Some organizations depend on name tags to do the job. Did you know that the proper side to wear your name badge on is your RIGHT side? That’s because when shaking a person’s hand it is easiest to read a tag/label on the right. Most people put it on the left side and oftentimes it’s covered by a lapel or long hair, making it difficult to read. And don’t get me started on those companies who put no thought into the typeface size or ease of legibility on name tags. But, why depend on a name tag? I think it’s better to properly introduce yourself verbally.
I went to a small holiday party last week and there were no name tags. The gathering was in a person’s home and there were only a dozen people. But some people were new to the group and others hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Frankly, I didn’t remember everyone’s name and had to whisper to a friend and ask. I personally think that even in these kinds of personal settings, it is a gesture of kindness to your guests to prepare name tags, if only with the person’s first name, printed in large, easy-to-read lettering. Then have guests apply it on the right side.
So, the next time you go someplace, try it out. Ask the persons’ name—no matter where you are. It will make them feel more important, and you will probably have a better experience.
“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” —Dale Carnegie
Karen
In my office, I noticed a giant stack of newspapers and magazines piling up on my assistant’s desk. Turns out, we receive more than 10 paper copies of each industry newspaper, plus at least two or three copies of each magazine.
So I grabbed a stack of the 10 duplicate newspapers and walked around the office asking, “Do you want a copy of this newspaper?” The vast majority of everyone said “no thanks”, as they get a daily electronic version via email. Since my co-workers are on their computers all day long, plus many of them work remotely from their home offices, they have gotten used to reading the headlines on their computer and only clicking through on the super interesting stories for more info. I did find a few people who were interested in the physical paper, but honestly, they were the other baby boomers in my office (we have a great mix of team members in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s).
So here I was with eight copies of the industry paper and thinking, “what a waste of natural resources.” What was even weirder about this situation was that I remember cancelling all our subscriptions to these physical copies when I realized times had changed and many people found it easier just to read on online. It seems as if the publisher of these industry papers continued to send them out, probably as a way to keep their circulation numbers high.
So, this mini-experiment made me think—how many other opportunities are there to make the choice: Paper or electronic?
Airplane tickets/Boarding passes — I love getting my boarding passes on my smartphone, via the airline app. No need to print the boarding pass ahead of time or stand in line when I get to the airport to print a ticket.
Reading books on a Kindle — Many people swear by the Kindle—only one small screen to carry instead of those large, heavy, paper books.
Music — Most of us use a device for our music—but back in the day, we had to purchase cassette tapes or CDs in order to listen to our favorite music. Now, thanks to our smartphones plus wireless speakers, we can get our music anytime, any place.
Coupons — Remember clipping coupons? Now, almost all coupons can be downloaded digitally and you have them handy on your smartphone and your smart wallet.
To-do lists — I admit, I still like to make paper lists for food shopping or my things to do, but many people use the “notes” app on their phone to make those lists, or they use the list function on Amazon or Out of Milk.
Movies — Don’t get me started on the revolution in this business. First you could only see movies by going to a physical movie theater. Then, do you remember purchasing movie DVDs? After that you could rent them at Blockbuster; then Netflix started mailing them to your home. Now, we have Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon+, etc. You can get any movie, any place. And with your smartphone or tablet, you can even watch them while on an airplane.
Magazines — Okay, I’m a little old fashioned here. We get subscriptions to at least 10 monthly magazines at our home. And, yes they do pile up sometimes … but they do get read. It’s kind of fun thumbing through the magazines, ripping out pages of stories I want to share or save. I am aware that every one of these magazines also has my email address and drops a teaser headliner email too frequently into my inbox. But I can hit that delete button pretty easily.
Thank-you notes — I still hand write thank you notes—to the tune of 290 handwritten notes so far this year. Yes, that’s more than one a day! Sure, I could send a text or an email … but in the last two weeks I’ve gotten three separate emails from recipients of my handwritten thank-you notes with essentially the same comment: “I know this seems ridiculous to send you a thank-you note for the thank-you note. But thank you! You really made me feel special. And I rarely, if ever, get a paper note anymore.”
I could go on and on with examples of how my world has shifted from being paper-based to electronic. Most of these changes are for the better, but some are a definite adjustment.
Since the pendulum has swung very far to the “electronic everything,” this means you can really stand out if you do something on paper. I predict printed company brochures, magazines, and personalized stationery are making a comeback.
So, stand out!
Karen
With all my running and walking activities of late (I completed my fourth half marathon on last Saturday), I am having a bit of discomfort with my feet and my knees. So, I thought it would be best to see a podiatrist.
It’s so amazing how the universe works—as within a day or two after I mentioned this out loud, a longtime friend of mine sent me an email and randomly mentioned she was having foot issues and found a great podiatrist near where I live!
So, I immediately called the doctor’s office to set up an appointment. When the receptionist answered, the first thing I said was, “Who’s this?” That always catches people by surprise, but I have found it is important to refer to someone by name. The office manager’s name is Jan, and I thanked her for all her help in setting up my appointment for the following week.
I have a practice of always setting up any number I call for service or a business in my contacts. That’s because I’ve learned over the years that I will usually have to call them back again, and this saves me from having Post-its all around my work area, or having to remember their name, or having to look them up via Google. I also add the “label” for what kind of service they are in their Outlook contact. For example, in this case I wrote the word “podiatrist” in the contact, so if I need to call the person back, I am not having to remember the doctor’s actual name—I can just do a search in contacts for “podiatrist.” It has saved me tons of time searching for my plumber, my electrician, and even the cable company.
After I had set up the appointment, within a few days my work schedule went crazy and I suddenly had a work conflict with the doctor’s appointment.
So when I called the office to change my appointment, I said, “Hi, is this Jan?” I could tell the office manager was quite startled that I knew her by name. That’s because in addition to saving the doctor’s information in my contacts, I added the name of the person who answered the phone. I do that all the time—I add people’s spouses names, kids’ gender and ages, secretary’s name, etc. I learned long ago that the most important word to any person is their own name and recalling something about them personally always creates an instant connection.
Jan easily gave me a new appointment time. I could tell she was especially nice on the phone, as I made her feel important by using her name.
Have you ever done something similar to this? Perhaps asked a server at a restaurant their name when you are seated and then thanked them by name during your meal? Did they seem a little bit more attentive to you?
So, I hope the next time you make a new connection, that you will immediately add their name, email, number, etc. to your phone/email contacts. Believe me, it may take a little bit of extra time up front, but you will thank me later when you need to reconnect with someone.
Best practice 101.
Karen
Los Alamitos, CA (July 2021) – The famous, flavorful, limited-edition Hatch Chile pepper season has started earlier than predicted. Mother Nature herself is known to be a Hatch “Chile Head” and we are attributing the early start of the season to her.
Frieda’s works with certified, authentic growers located in Hatch, New Mexico—yes, there is a certification! Frieda’s received the first few shipments last week, with supply anticipated to pick up after the middle of July. The season is expected to continue through the end of September.
“We can’t wait to get our new Hatch Chile pouches into the hands of consumers,” says Cindy Sherman, Director of Marketing, Innovation & Insights. “When we set out to redesign the pouch, we wanted it to feel friendly and inviting to bring more “Hatchlings” (shoppers new to Hatch Chiles) into the fold.”
The limited-time availability of this special zesty pepper plays into the phenomenon of FOMO— fear of missing out. Research by Eventbrite suggests that when faced with an exclusive item being consumed by their peers, over 60% of millennials will experience FOMO and head to stores to purchase an item. And remember, an entire community of Chile Heads waits all year to buy fresh Hatch Chiles so they can roast them and freeze them for year-round use.
Frieda’s offers Hatch Chiles in a branded 25-pound case, which can be used for side-stack displays, and in 1- and 2-pound retail pouches in mild, medium, and hot heat levels.
Frieda’s works closely with its grower partners to ensure excellent quality and strong supply until the end of the season. Call your Frieda’s account manager today to receive samples and learn how to make a Hatch splash in your store this year!
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.
