Taste Radio

Sarah Frey was barely into her 20s when she struck a deal with Walmart for her family’s company, Frey Farms, to supply watermelons and pumpkins to the retailer’s stores across the U.S. The relationship with Walmart helped Frey Farms, which had recently emerged from near foreclosure, become one of the largest suppliers of fresh produce in America, one with farmland in seven states and total sales exceeding $1 billion. Frey’s ability to win over Walmart buyers was documented in a case study published by Harvard Business School about how she successfully negotiated a deal with the world’s largest retailer. In an interview included in this episode, Frey spoke about how she engineered Frey Farms’ remarkable turnaround despite having no formal business training, how she identified and utilized advantages her company had over larger competitors and how she navigated Walmart’s corporate culture. She also explained why the key to farming is managing risk, how consumers’ relationship with food has evolved during the Co