Dole Goes Bananas For Northwest's Largest Multi-Day Bike Ride

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Dole went bananas for Cascade Bicycle Club’s 33rd Annual Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic – to the delight of 10,000 riders. The world’s top-selling conventional and organic banana is now also the “Official Banana” of the largest multi-day bike ride in the Northwest.

As the official banana provider of the 200-mile Classic, Dole Fresh Fruit, a subsidiary of Dole Food Company, Inc., provided more than 12,000 bananas consumed before, during and after the annual ride, which started July 14 on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle and ended the next day at Halladay Park in downtown Portland.

“Bicycle riders and other endurance athletes have long considered bananas as one of the best pre-race natural energy sources – so an official partnership with the Classic made a lot of sense,” said David Bright, vice president of marketing for Dole Fresh Fruit.

Dole’s partnership with the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classicis part of the banana provider’s Go Bananas Every Day™ initiative, which seeks to make bananas an even bigger part of Americans’ daily routine through strategic alliances, third-party sponsorships, advertising, PR and social media programs.

A key component of the year-long campaign is Nature’s Original Energy Bar™, which encourages banana fans to see the fruit as nutritionally superior to other sources of energy during and after summer exercise and recreation. The campaign is based on a May 2012 peer-reviewed study that found that bananas provide the same energy boost, a much bigger nutrition bang and no artificial ingredients compared to the leading sports drinks – at about one-third the price.

For study details, go to http://tiny.cc/28s1gw.

In addition, Dole has designated both Seattle and Portland among its four “Top Banana Cities” for 2012 in honor of both cities’ disproportionately high percentage of banana-loving local residents. The other honored cities are Baltimore and Charlotte, N.C.

Dole representatives will honor those local restaurants, bars and other food-oriented businesses in each city that have a unique connection to the fruit, or push the commonly accepted boundaries of banana cuisine. Dole will also work with local registered dieticians (RDs), chefs and food, fitness and family bloggers to educate residents about bananas through media and public appearances, sampling and tasting events.

For more information on DOLE Bananas, including recipes, serving suggestions and nutritional information from Dole and the Dole Nutrition Institute, go to www.dole.com/bananas or www.facebook.com/dolebananas.High-res photography of DOLE Bananas, recipes and marketing campaign elements also are available.

About DOLE Bananas

DOLE is the top-selling banana in America and the world — in both conventional and organic product categories. From its founding by James Drummond Dole, the company has built its reputation on a ceaseless commitment to quality. Today, the DOLE brand stands for more than 150 years of quality produce — and the world’s largest supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas. Dole strives to grow, produce, harvest, transport and distribute its bananas and other produce in the most environmentally and socially conscious way possible.

About Dole Food Company, Inc.

Dole, with 2011 net revenues of $7.2 billion, is the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and is the leading producer of organic bananas. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research.

Aboutthe 33rd Annual Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic

The 33rd Annual Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic is the largest multi-day ride in the Northwest, with proceeds benefiting the Cascade Bicycle Club, a 501(c)4 organization. Up to 10,000 riders make the 200-mile trek. The route, carefully marked with directional arrows (Dan Henrys), leads riders through the scenic valleys, forests and farmlands of western Washington and Oregon. Funds raised support the Cascade Bicycle Club’s work to make bicycling convenient, safe and widely recognized as an important contributor to a healthy and fun life and prosperous, livable communities.

Source: Dole Food Company, Inc.