Steven Trede: Huge Opportunities For Fresh Produce

August 5, 2025 | 2 min to read

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The article reflects on a consultant's journey from early merchandising in grocery stores to a career in fresh produce. Inspired by a dedicated produce manager, he transitioned through various roles, ultimately joining the California Strawberry Board and later companies like Fresh Del Monte and Driscoll’s. Now semi-retired, he emphasizes the importance of category management and innovative fresh fruit varieties to enhance sales and consumer enjoyment, advocating for strong brand communities.

Consultant/Semi-Retired
Richmond, IN

My father was a chain store and independent grocery store manager in Iowa, so I snagged a lot of store door vendor fill-in projects at a very early age, when the vendor left inventory for me to merchandise. It started out grocery (chips, snacks, soda, etc.), but then when employees called off, and I was in the store anyway, I started stocking ads, which led to dairy, and then as fresh produce grew as a category, I was trained by a “real old-time produce manager,” who was a perfectionist. I hated doing the wet rack! He went over my work on each occasion, like my life depended on it.

But, as much as I dreaded it, in the beginning, I became impressed with his professionalism, knowledge and especially his passion. I remember telling my dad, that “if I could get as good at baseball as Frank Grossman was at fresh produce, I would be rich man!” If you look up “produce manager” in the Red Book in Heaven, there is probably a picture of Frank.

I had other aspirations to be in food technology, but one seems to gravitate to what one enjoys and is good at, and, while I ultimately started my post-college career as a route salesman selling deli meats, I never forgot how much fun produce was, with new seasons and new types of fruits and veg in new packages, and always felt I would be back in produce at some point.

It did happen. Somehow, eventually, I landed an interview with the California Strawberry Board, and learned a whole new realm about growing and marketing fresh produce. That led to other positions with Fresh Del Monte, NatureSweet, a couple of failed start-ups, and ultimately back to berries with Driscoll’s, where I learned category management, and used my previous grocery skills to build the berry category for select retailers.

I am semi-retired now, doing some part-time gigs (this business is hard to get into, as well as out of). I see huge opportunities for fresh produce, especially in practicing category management, and expanding consumption. Newer varieties of all types of fresh fruits and vegetables are providing new opportunities to help retailers sell more, and help the consumer indulge in great-tasting food that doesn’t have a lot of harmful additives. Flavor and condition sell (obviously, availability is key, as well).

I think being brand or commodity advocates is helpful to establish trial, and build community. Driscoll’s category management programs stressed that, and I still think it works.