Bringing nearly eight years at Rainier Fruit Company and over 12-and-a-half in the industry to her wide-ranging and growing expertise, Soo Choi has easily made a name for herself as a vibrant, inquisitive, intelligent, and solutions-driven trailblazer. Though her humility may ask me to edit this list of attributes, the people who know her insist: Soo’s presence is a unique breath of fresh air. Find out more about Soo from the woman herself in this feature…
“Most people would probably agree my unofficial title is the resident Rainier ‘what if’ and ‘why not’ kid. Working in perishable sales is like a puzzle that can’t actually be solved. Constantly asking ‘what if’ to find the opportunity in what nature has provided and ‘why not’ of your teams and customers to push the limits is the only way to even come close. As the apple industry faces big challenges in upcoming years, I’ll really get to flex my ‘what ifs’ while trying to stay out of trouble with all of my ‘why nots!’”
“There are a few bada** ladies that unflinchingly and wholeheartedly mom’d me during the hardest times to stay strong on my path: Kathy, Carrie, Brenda, and Caroline to name just a few. There is also an industry giant named Andrew, who helped a young, 100 lb Korean use her powers for good and not evil. And who could I possibly look up to more than my crew at Rainier—those people who have my back every day and trust me to have theirs?”
“My husband and I try to spend our time away from the office working outside on the small flower farm we’ve been developing over the last five years. Through farming, we both have acquired a deep appreciation for how much knowledge and skill it takes to produce anything well—it’s an incredibly humbling experience.”
“This gig is a lifestyle and it’s certainly not for everyone—produce people are weird. But, for those who have the tenacity to dig deep and find a niche to call home, you’ll find yourself in the company of the most strangely wonderful people in the world.” 
