Who is Frieda Caplan?
A. In 1962, Frieda Caplan founded the first woman-owned and operated wholesale produce business in the United States. Frieda became recognized worldwide with her success in the discovery and promotion of the Chinese Gooseberry. She renamed it after New Zealand’s famous fuzzy bird, the Kiwi, and introduced the Kiwifruit to produce departments and consumers around the world. Introductions over the years include: Brown Mushrooms, Alfalfa Sprouts, Spaghetti Squash, Jicama, Shallots, Elephant Garlic and Sunchokes, just to name a few.
