KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Smithfield and the American Royal are pleased to announce Smithfield as the Presenting Sponsor of the 37th American Royal World Series of Barbecue®, the world’s largest barbecue competition. This year’s competition, to be held October 28-30 at the Kansas Speedway, will be the finale of the competitive barbecue season for hundreds of elite teams on the barbecue circuit.
In 2015, over 600 teams competed during the three-day event for the title of Grand Champion. This October, barbecue experts and fans from around the country will see that Smithfield Fresh Pork and the World Series of Barbecue® are a match made in heaven.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Smithfield, a nationally recognized company with over 500 employees in the Kansas City area,” stated Lynn Parman, President and CEO of the American Royal. “Smithfield was the Rib Category Sponsor of the 2015 World Series of Barbecue® and it’s great to have their support again this year. It’s because of the support of companies like Smithfield that the American Royal is able to provide agricultural competitive learning, educational experiences, and scholarships that inspire and cultivate dreams.”
The World Series of Barbecue® will also mark the finale of the Smithfield Hog Wild Throwdown, a summer-long pork barbecue contest inviting pork fans nationwide to grill, vote, and play for the chance to win one of two new 2016 Ford F-150 XL pickup trucks and take home the title of the Smithfield Hog Wild Throwdown champion.
Smithfield encourages barbecue lovers to submit their most original and creative grilled fresh pork recipes using Smithfield ribs, chops, tenderloins and more, for a chance to throw down in front of award-winning celebrity pitmasters Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone, and Weber Grillmaster Kevin Kolman. The celebrity pitmasters will select one “Pitmaster Pro” and one “Backyard Barbecuer” winner per contest category to go head-to-head at this year’s American Royal World Series of Barbecue®, where one lucky winner will get to drive home in a new 2016 Ford F-150 XL pickup truck, plus $2,000 cash. To view official contest rules and for grilling tips and recipe inspiration, visit www.SmithfieldThrowdown.com.
“We could not think of a better event to bring our Smithfield Hog Wild Throwdown Finale to life,” said Emily Detwiler, Senior Brand Manager – Fresh Pork Marketing. “The American Royal is one of the most well-known barbecue competitions and we are thrilled to partner with the American Royal to share Smithfield’s commitment to quality pork and passion for BBQ with thousands of the biggest barbecue enthusiasts in the world.”
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia. From hand-trimmed ribs, loins and bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan’s Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook’s®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly’s®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About American Royal Association
Woven through the history of Kansas City since 1899, the American Royal inspires and cultivates dreams by providing agricultural competitive learning, educational experiences, and scholarships. The American Royal is a 501 © (3) not-for-profit organization that contributes more than $1 million annually through youth education programs and scholarships. Over 270,000 attendees annually attend American Royal events that generate over $60 million of economic impact. To learn more about the American Royal visit www.AmericanRoyal.com.
Source: Smithfield Foods
