Todd Fryhover has been the epitome of the ‘happy warrior’ in his myriad of duties representing the Washington Apple Commission as president for the past 16 years. A great communicator, who has spent the majority of his life working with and around apples, Fryhover is proud of the legacy he will leave behind for his successor, Michael Schadler, who most recently served as executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange and as manager of the Florida Tomato Committee.
Based in Wenatchee, WA, The Washington Apple Commission is a lean organization of five staff and 13 international representatives. Fryhover, who is a veritable encyclopedia when it comes to any and all things apples, has been an inspiring catalyst for growth and global expansion. He has traveled the world over promoting Washington apples in an effort to increase exports. He also was able to secure solid funding for international marketing efforts such as more than $5 million annually from the USDA Market Access Program Funds and another $10 million from an Agricultural Trade Promotion grant.
Prior to joining the Commission—initially as a consultant for two years—Fryhover earned his college degree in Agricultural Business & Economics from the University of Idaho before starting his career which included stints in management, sales and operations in leading apple packing companies. Married for 37 years to his wife, Siobhan, who he met in junior high school, Fryhover is father to two grown children—son Reid and daughter Claire.
“I think the beauty of my retirement is that I will never really leave the industry because I live in the Valley. I don’t know what I am going to do once I retire, but if I could take what I know and it would be a benefit to someone and to myself, I would be a resource,” he says. “My legacy here is done, and I need to turn it over to someone else who can take the organization forward.”
The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Eighteen years is a very healthy tenure with any organization. How did you change the Washington Apple Commission during your tenure, and how did it change you?
I always respected the industry and the hard-working people who make Washington a great place to grow apples. But in my current role, I was given the opportunity to meet these hard-working people in the flesh and listen to their thoughts and ambitions–this changed my perspective on the growers, the packing warehouses and the leadership. I have grown to have a deep respect and admiration for everyone involved in the Washington tree fruit industry.
How did you first get involved in the fruit industry, and what led you to work at the Washington Apple Commission?
Growing up in Wenatchee, the fruit industry was the best option to make a little summer money. My first job was at Chere Best—I was 12—dumping cherry lugs onto the packing line. Since that first employment opportunity, I worked most summers in the fruit warehouses.
The Washington Apple Commission had an export focus and that is where I had lived my professional life. It made sense I could put my skill set to work in the area where I had spent my entire career and hopefully provide benefit to the growers I work for.
What were your goals when you joined the Commission, and how did they evolve?
My number one goal was to ensure everyone who paid an assessment to the WAC knew what it was we did, how we did it and how the programs benefited them. My goals evolved over time to focus more on the people than the specific programs. If you could put the right people in each position where success was attainable, then the goal of creating value to the growers was accomplished.
What characteristics do you think are crucial for success in your position?
I think it is important to be outgoing and a good communicator as well as focused and a good steward of people’s resources. Honesty and truthfulness are also important as is being realistic and as optimistic as possible.
What strategy is always in play when it comes to the Commission?
A focus on what we can control is imperative—Mexico and Canada are strategic partners and accessible via inland freight. Increasing promotional support through new digital programs remains critical. The Commission has doubled the financial support into these two markets and prioritized those offshore markets that have the potential to pay a higher price for quality product.
Were you at all surprised about the new varieties of apples that premiered during your tenure with the Commission?
If orchardists are one thing, they’re optimistic with a willingness to accept risk. Finding new varieties was the next logical step for growers, but I can honestly say, I didn’t think it would explode into more than 42 new proprietary varieties.
What do you think is the biggest misnomer about apples?
The one thing that I find interesting is that every apple is harvested by hand, and I don’t think a great deal of people understand how the apples get to the retail outlets. There is the picking, the storage, and the transportation. It’s the labor out in the field and then into the warehouses where they are stored in controlled atmosphere rooms, and we have to pay close attention to the quality throughout the entire chain.
There is an old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”—how does the Commission address the question of apples and health?
It is an acronym that everyone knows and believes. It is anecdotal but true—it’s certainly not like having three Camel cigarettes. Apples are very healthy for a variety of reasons, and it definitely plays a big part in our messaging.
Apples have a much longer shelf life than numerous other fruits and vegetables, how does that play into their popularity?
Clearly, the durability of apples plays into the purchasing equation. When you compare apples to raspberries there is a vast difference in the shelf life. If apples are properly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator they can easily last up to eight weeks. Apples are also great because they are portable and great additions to any lunch or snack.
Do you think apples get the respect they deserve from the public and from retailers?
I would say when it comes to the public, yes, most definitely. There is a lot of respect for apples and all the wonderful Washington varieties that are healthy and delicious. When it comes to the retailers, I would say not so much. Their first thought is to drive profitability. They always want to make space for something new. They are always going to make money on the produce department, and the retail prices don’t often reflect and account for the true cost of the production. Washington state has the highest minimum wage in the country, and we also have the second-highest average wage for H-2A workers.
How do you see the Washington apple industry evolving over the years to come?
In the short term, crop volumes need to come into equilibrium with demand. Oversupply leads to unprofitability, enhancing the need to have supply and demand equal while creating the best possible variety mix to entice consumers to eat more apples.
In the longer term, we need to increase the per-capita consumption of apples through a forward-facing digital promotional campaign – promotion.
