HOUSTON – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, has received increased funding from key industry partners Mission Produce, SUNSET, and Taylor Farms. The additional donations will benefit Dallas and Salinas location programming.
“Since I first attended IFPA’s October event as the CEO of Brighter Bites just over three years ago, I’ve had the honor of working with the most dedicated partners through Mission Produce, SUNSET, and Taylor Farms,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “As I walked the show that year all three companies immediately stepped up to support our organization and its mission without hesitation and have continued that to this day. We are beyond thankful for their dedication and commitment to provide fresh food for underserved communities in our country.”
In addition to monetary contributions, Taylor Farms provides Brighter Bites with a weekly supply of produce to include in the program boxes distributed to under-resourced families. These typically include a variety of produce to broaden family and students’ palettes and knowledge on fruits and vegetables available for them.
“As a part of our ongoing efforts to support food accessibility, Taylor Farms values our longstanding partnership with Brighter Bites and will be increasing our donation commitment this year to help bolster the cause,” states Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms. “We are passionate about helping families gain access to healthy fresh foods and are proud of the impact we have been able to make together with Brighter Bites.”
Mission Produce and SUNSET have been ambassadors of Brighter Bites for the past three years and are considered major financial supporters. As a champion of Brighter Bites and the company’s mission, Brighter Bites is able to make a larger difference in the lives of families across the country.
“Brighter Bites provides a unique opportunity to not only the communities they serve by providing a healthy food source for those in need, but they also are exposing fresh produce to new users in many cases,” said Steve Barnard, President and CEO of Mission Produce. “This a win/win for the communities and the produce industry.”
“Brighter Bites’ vision to make fresh produce accessible to communities in need is very close to our hearts at Mastronardi Produce,” said Paul Mastronardi, President & CEO of Mastronardi Produce Limited/SUNSET®. “Grandpa Umberto Mastronardi had that same vision more than 70 years ago when he pioneered greenhouse growing in North America. It is an honor to support the impactful work carried out by Brighter Bites in America.”
To learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor through product or financial donations, visit brighterbites.org or contact Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Amy Priebe, at amy.priebe@brighterbites.org. To stay informed on additional ways to support the organization, follow Brighter Bites on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube.
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About Brighter Bites:
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and San Antonio. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.
About Mission Produce:
Mission Produce is a global leader in the worldwide avocado business. Since 1983, Mission Produce has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados, and as of 2021, fresh mangos, to retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art packing facilities in key growing locations globally, including California, Mexico and Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, South Africa and more, which allow the Company to provide a year-round supply of premium fruit. Mission’s global distribution network includes 12 forward distribution centers that are strategically positioned in key markets throughout North America, China and Europe, offering value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. For more information, please visit www.missionproduce.com.
About Mastronardi Produce Ltd.® / SUNSET®
A pioneer and industry leader in the gourmet greenhouse industry, Mastronardi Produce grows and markets award-winning products under the SUNSET®, Backyard Farms®, BerryWorld®, and Queen of Greens™ brands. Mastronardi Produce has been family-owned for over 70 years and prides itself on producing consistently flavorful tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, berries, and lettuce.
About Taylor Farms:
Taylor Farms is a leading North American producer of salads and healthy fresh foods with production facilities across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Taylor Farms is grounded in a commitment to quality, assured supply, innovation, sustainability, and food safety. Taylor Farms is family owned and based in “The Salad Bowl of the World” Salinas, California. For more information, delicious recipes, and more visit www.taylorfarms.com and follow Taylor Farms on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
