Redwood Shores, CA– Mushroom Council closed 2018 celebrating a focused, year-long digital/social outreach initiative challenging consumers to adopt mushroom + meat blended recipes in their kitchens.
The first-ever “Blenditarian Challenge” featured the Mushroom Council presenting a monthly sweepstakes asking consumers to share on social their take on a timely, seasonal blend recipe while using the #BlenditarianChallenge hashtag. Seasonal themes included February’s “Date Night Done Right,” May’s “Blended Burgers,” and September’s “Better Bowls.”
At the end of each monthly challenge, the Mushroom Council selected five random participants, who each received a $250 gift card. In addition, at year’s end, the Council randomly selected Mimi Newcastle of Fort Washington, Maryland as the 2018 grand prize winner. Newcastle won $2,500 from the Mushroom Council along with a matching donation to Capital Area Food Bank.
The Mushroom Council estimates The Blenditarian Challenge reached more than 500,000 users online and via social throughout the year, with participants entering more than 400 blended recipe photo posts.
The Council and its members promoted the campaign through its social and digital channels with online users posting more than 1,200 #BlenditarianChallenge submissions to Twitter and Instagram. Reasons for using The Blend included:
“Being a blenditarian allows me to enjoy the best of both worlds! Beef and mushroom chipotle blended tacos with verde sauce and pickled onions ? #blenditarianchallenge @blenditarian” – @classicol
“I took the pledge to become a #blenditarian because I want to cook and eat healthy and better. Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs consisting of blended ground beef and thinly chopped mushrooms is a favorite weeknight meal. ❤️ @blenditarian #BlenditarianChallenge” – @angeltrios19
“Trying to eat healthier in the new year but it’s still #gameday?. Made a healthier version of my favorite classic dip by blending mushrooms with the meat. #blenditarianchallenge #healthyclassics #formyhealth #fortheplanet #flyeaglesfly #onthebandwagon” – @lsegs
“After years of The Blend taking hold in restaurants, universities, and K-12 schools, the Blenditarian Challenge allowed us to shift part of our focus in 2018 to the home cook, telling us why The Blend is the answer in their kitchens,” said Bart Minor, president and chief executive officer, the Mushroom Council. “We loved the stories and the recipes these true ‘blenditarians’ shared with us and their online communities.”
About The Mushroom Council:
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers or importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve. For more information, visit mushroomcouncil.com.
