I never personally knew Frieda Caplan, the woman who is credited with bringing many once-exotic fruits and vegetables to the United States. I knew only of her gifts—kiwifruits, habaneros, jicama and Asian pears. I was just a toddler when she opened Frieda’s Specialty Produce, the first woman-owned wholesale produce business. The ground she covered made it easier for me to open my company in 1996.
Hearing of Frieda’s passing at 96, I was profoundly touched by the outpouring of admiration and sorrow. I reached out to a few of my early colleagues who knew her. I was moved to tears by their stories.
Thus, began a series of revelations about the importance of mentoring and being mentored. Continue reading “What Frieda Rapoport Caplan Taught me”
