Building off the momentum of a successful Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign launch at Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit 2014, RPE, Inc. and Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® are pleased to officially announce their partnership and shared commitment to help fight hunger and provide more fresh fruits and veggies to local Feeding America member food banks nationwide. RPE is the first official campaign sponsor, and is also announcing its first Growing Forward™ promotion—just in time for key potato sales during the holidays.
No stranger to philanthropy, the potato and onion grower has a long history of sponsoring programs aimed at fighting hunger, such as Katie’s Krops, as well as donating time and fresh produce to local food banks. To take their commitment to giving back to the next level, RPE has aligned with the Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign. The year-round, national cause marketing campaign has been developed for companies in the produce industry to help fight hunger and distribute more fruits and veggies to local Feeding America member food banks nationwide. Through this partnership, RPE will have the opportunity to expand their charitable efforts through the national platform that the new campaign offers.
Although the Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign is not officially launching until January 2015, RPE is kicking off their sponsorship with their “Lock Out Hunger” promotion, scheduled to kick-off just before the Christmas holiday. Through the Old Oak Farms brand, RPE will donate 10 pounds of potatoes (up to 40,000 pounds) each time a consumer enters the code found on specially marked Kwik Lok tags. More details on the campaign will be available soon at http://www.OldOakFarms.com/GrowingForward.
With deep roots in charitable giving, the Growing Forward™ campaign is a natural fit for RPE. Says the company’s Marketing Manager, Melissa Sylte, "We are thrilled to be one of the founding members of the Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign. RPE, Inc. has a long-standing history of working to fight hunger in our local community through product donation and employee volunteering. This campaign provides us a platform to effectively expand and promote our efforts to reach both retail customers and shoppers on a national level. Our Lock Out Hunger promotion is a great example of how the campaign can create turnkey opportunities for brands like ours."
Also coming on board for the campaign as the primary media sponsor is PRODUCE BUSINESS Magazine. The role that the fresh industry plays in solving hunger has been an ongoing topic that the publication has covered. Ken Whitacre, Publisher and Editorial Director of the influential magazine has been an advocate of the effort from its inception.
“From the first time I heard about the Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign, I knew it was going to be a game-changer. As a leading voice in our industry, PRODUCE BUSINESS is partnering with the program because we know it will continue to create important conversations around solving hunger. We're proud to align with this campaign as the primary media partner and support the huge task it's taking on," said Whitacre.
For more information on the Growing Forward™ with Feeding America® campaign, including how to get involved, please visit the trade-focused site www.JoinGrowingForward.com, as well as the new consumer-facing site, www.WeAreGrowingForward.com
About RPE, Inc.
RPE, Inc., a third-generation family farming operation, is a category leader and key grower/shipper of potatoes and onions year-round. RPE takes pride in maintaining a high level of business integrity that includes commitments to environmental sustainability, category innovation and retail solutions. Learn more at http://www.OldOakFarms.com/
About Growing Forward™ with Feeding America®
Growing Forward™ is a year-round cause marketing campaign developed by McDill Associates for companies in the produce industry to align with Feeding America® through a shared commitment to help fight hunger and provide more fresh fruits and veggies to local Feeding America member food banks nationwide. The program will be managed by McDill Associates and officially launches in 2015. Learn more at www.joingrowingforward.com.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, they provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America.
Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people they serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.
Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger.™ Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
About PRODUCE BUSINESS Magazine
Celebrating its 30th year of continuous leadership in 2015, PRODUCE BUSINESS is the industry’s largest circulation publication and the only journal written exclusively for high-volume produce buyers from all sectors of the trade. Founded in 1985 by produce industry veteran and 4th generation produce specialist, Jim Prevor (aka the Perishable Pundit), the publication uniquely “initiates industry improvement” with features, comments and analysis that guide the industry toward a path of increased sales and consumption. Learn more at http://www.producebusiness.com/.
Source: RPE, Inc.
