Caplan was famously known as “the Kiwi Queen” for her success in popularizing the fruit stateside. Once asked by a Safeway buyer if she carried “Chinese gooseberries,” Caplan soon began to stock them. To appeal to a larger swath of customers, she renamed the tart and fuzzy orbs kiwifruit, a nod to the national bird of New Zealand from where the produce came. It took about a decade for the fruit to rise in popularity.
But herein lies the gospel of Caplan’s business model: source otherwise unheard of or underrepresented fruits and vegetables and introduce them to American consumers. Every Frieda’s product comes dressed with a purple label, which describes the fruit or vegetable and offers suggestions for how best to enjoy it.interview from 1972, Caplan distilled her company’s approach: “There have always been exotic food items," she explained."We just showcased them, dressed them up, and sold them.
She is credited with introducing sunchokes, jicama, spaghetti squash, starfruit, dragonfruit, ghost peppers, shiitake mushrooms, purple sweet potatoes, and turmeric root, among many others, to the mainstream American supermarket aisle.
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Source: Forbes - 🏆 394. / 53 Read more »