Industry Members Share Traditions and Favorite Aspects of the Holiday Season Part II

Wednesday, Dec. 14th, 2022

by Melissa De Leon Chavez

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UNITED STATES - Whether chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, or you haven’t seen Jack Frost yet, in an industry as individual as ours, what marks the holidays for any of us has as much range as it does reach. Continuing our seasonal series, please enjoy the dynamic December favorites of these produce peers.

As the holidays jingle ever closer, take a gander at some industry friends and their advice to make the most of the season

Meghan Diaz, Director, Produce and Floral—East Coast, Sprouts Farmers Market

Meghan Diaz, Director, Produce and Floral—East Coast, Sprouts Farmers Market “The holidays in December are THE best because the variety of food from all different cultures and traditions are incredible. My favorite is trying to find all the varieties of Latin American tamales and Caribbean pasteles locally here in Tampa.”

Emily Zirkle, Business Development, Rainier Fruit Company

Emily Zirkle, Business Development, Rainier Fruit Company “My favorite thing about the holidays is the celebration of community and the spirit of reciprocity. I love the chance to give back and share a little joy with loved ones, especially with good food and lots of cheer. Find me out in the snow somewhere or eating plenty of homemade Envy™ apple pie!”

Michelle Deleissegues, Vice President of Marketing, GEM-Pack Berries

Michelle Deleissegues, Vice President of Marketing, GEM-Pack Berries “I love the Nordic holiday tradition of freezing wild, summer-harvested cloudberries to serve at Christmas. When visiting Norway, I always feel special when friends dip into their holiday cloudberry stash to share with me prior to Christmas. The Red Blossom/GEM-Pack recipes feature a Scandinavian Iced Berries recipe that is a simple and delightful riff on a traditional Norwegian Christmas dessert. It’s a great retail serving suggestion as it incorporates the entire berry patch and has the opportunity for cross-merchandising with other departments.”

From apples and berries to tortillas and Sufganiyot, the holidays are best spent with loved ones—and with food

Angela Hernandez, Director of Marketing, Trinity Fruit Company

Angela Hernandez, Director of Marketing, Trinity Fruit Company “I LOVE Christmas! My favorite holiday tradition is going to my parents’ house Christmas morning for breakfast with my family. We’ve been spoiled our whole life with homemade flour tortillas—our mom prepares a stack of fresh tortillas and all the fixings for us to make our own breakfast burritos, or she makes omelets on the spot if we request it. This tradition started over 25 years ago when my eldest sibling got married and started his own family. We have all managed to continue to make it work, and we’ve yet to skip a Christmas morning beat!”

Alex Jackson, Director of Sales and Procurement, Frieda’s Branded Produce

Alex Jackson, Director of Sales and Procurement, Frieda's Branded Produce “Seeing that I celebrate Hanukkah, I love spending the eight nights lighting the menorah with my son Eli and partner Roxanne. Every year, my mom throws a big family Hanukkah party where we eat Latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufganiyot (jelly donuts), both traditional foods enjoyed on Hanukkah. Of course, always incorporate Frieda’s Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes as another side dish. Chag Sameach! (That means Happy Holidays in Hebrew).”

Megan Zweig, President, DMA Solutions

Megan Zweig, President, DMA Solutions “Some produce friends from IFPA’s Leadership Class 22 recently got together to have a Friendsgiving, and now we aim to make it a new tradition moving forward to celebrate our bond. These kinds of connections are what make the holiday season and this industry so special.”