Celebrate Love Your Produce Manager Day

April 2 is the 6th annual national Love Your Produce Manager Day, a day to show appreciation for supermarket produce managers. Frieda’s Specialty Produce has invited industry participation in saluting the hardworking men and women in supermarket produce departments, both in stores and over social media with hashtag #LYPM. For each industry organization that shares the hashtag or mentions Love Your Produce Manager Day in its communications, Frieda’s will make a donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a member of the Feeding America national network.

“The produce department is the heart of the supermarket, and produce managers keep it ticking,” says Karen Caplan, president and CEO of Frieda’s. “According to United Fresh Produce Association’s 2016 year in review, 33 percent of all fresh grocery sales comes from produce. And these men and women contribute to that success with their beautiful displays and excellent customer service. Their passionate work helps put more fruits and vegetables in the shopping basket, boosts produce consumption, and inspires new food experiences for shoppers.”

Additionally, Frieda’s is hosting a public social media giveaway to encourage shoppers to share selfies with their local supermarket produce managers and hashtag #LYPM from March 28 through April 4.

In 2015 more than 40 organizations participated in LYPM online activities. Frieda’s made a donation on their behalf to United Fresh Produce Association’s “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” initiative.

As featured in Chase’s Calendar of Events since 2012, Love Your Produce Manager Day aims to honor exemplary customer service in U.S. supermarket produce departments. Frieda’s created the holiday on the occasion of the company’s 50th anniversary to acknowledge the produce manager’s key role.

“Conversations that produce managers have with shoppers pave the way for us to bring to market unique and exciting products like Stokes Purple sweet potatoes, jackfruit and fresh turmeric root,” Caplan says. “Without the help of a Salt Lake City produce manager listening to a single consumer’s request in 1962, kiwifruit may not have become the well known and loved fruit it is today.”

Industry companies and organizations that would like to participate can find shareable graphics at friedas.com/lypm. Love Your Produce Manager Day messages must be posted by 11:59 p.m. PST on April 3 to be counted for the donation.