April Is Love Your Produce Manager Month At Schnucks

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — From April 8 through May 5, 2012, all Schnucks, Logli and Hilander shoppers are invited to stop by their local produce department and vote for their favorite produce manager via a special text message poll.

Shoppers are asked to send a text message with their store’s special keyword – found on in-store signage – to a designated number throughout the month. The produce manager with the most votes wins the coveted title of “Best Produce Manager,” and one shopper who votes will be randomly selected to win a $500 Schnucks gift card.

Throughout the month of April, a variety of unique and unusual fruits and vegetables will be featured as part of the promotion, including a different produce theme each week: Asian Specialties, Specialty Vegetables, Specialty Fruits and Latin Specialties. In addition, every Schnucks, Logli and Hilander Produce Manager will host free 2-hour tasting events on Saturdays to share their “fresh expertise” and offer free samples of the featured fruits. Sampling dates are April 14, 21, 28 and May 5th during peak hours. (Times will vary by store.)

Hosted by Frieda’s Specialty Produce Company in honor of its 50th anniversary, Love Your Produce Manager™ aims to shine the spotlight on exemplary customer service in the produce department. For Frieda’s, the supermarket produce manager plays a key role in making a variety of unique fruits and veggies available to U.S. consumers.

“50 years ago, a single produce manager was instrumental to the introduction of Kiwifruit to America,” said Karen Caplan, Frieda’s President and CEO. “His willingness to listen to a shopper’s request and try something new made a difference. Frieda’s Inc. brought in the first shipment of New Zealand-grown Kiwifruit at his request, and today, the fruit is a much-loved commodity, available in just about every supermarket across the United States.”

This is why Frieda’s and Schnucks encourage shoppers to Love their Produce Managers. Mike O’Brien, Vice President of Produce at Schnuck Markets Inc., said, “Talk to your Produce Manager. Ask him or her about what’s in season, what tastes good. And, if you can’t find something, request it!”

“Even after 50 years, it still starts with the Produce Manager,” Caplan adds.

Visit www.friedas.com/SchnucksLYPM for details and more information.

About Schnuck Markets, Inc.

Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. operates 100 stores (including five Logli and seven Hilander stores) and 95 in-store pharmacies in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. Follow Schnucks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Schnucks.

About Frieda’s Inc.

Frieda’s Inc. celebrates 50 years of innovation in fresh produce. Founded in 1962 by Frieda Caplan, Frieda's was the first wholesale produce company in the U.S. to be founded, owned and operated by a woman, and is still a family- and women-owned business today. With the mission of changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 specialty items to U.S. produce departments, including Kiwifruit, Spaghetti Squash, Habanero Peppers, Black Garlic and many more. Learn more at www.friedas.com.

Source: Schnuck Markets, Inc.