Kids love JAZZ™ apples. Now the fruit is responding in kind, by helping combat childhood hunger during the COVID-19 crisis.
The coronavirus is closing schools nationwide, and millions of vulnerable children are losing the school meals they depend upon. For some, it’s the only food they would receive in a given day. Oppy – alongside marketing partner and JAZZ™ brand owner, T&G Global – has teamed up with No Kid Hungry, an organization dedicated to feeding kids during school closures and all year long; to aid in delivery of these meals.
“The devastation this virus is causing is unreal, and we’re all looking for ways to help. As we’re able to provide something essential — nutritious food — it’s our responsibility,” said Roger Aguirre, category director, apples and pears, at Oppy. “When the Oppy team came across No Kid Hungry, who is delivering 1.7+ million meals daily to needy kids, it was a cause that struck especially close to our hearts.”
Helping alleviate hunger – particularly among children and with nutrition in mind – is critical to T&G and Oppy; and aligning with organizations who share their values, particularly where they operate and in critically impacted geographies, is essential. A start-up contribution in the name of JAZZ™ apples, to a unique No Kid Hungry fundraising page, has jumpstarted a donation campaign during this critical moment.
“We’re in complete admiration of No Kid Hungry’s abilities to help address the hunger fight head on, working alongside public schools and food banks – so rapidly – during such a critical time,” said Cecilia Flores Paez, head of marketing North America, for T&G Global. “We also donated more than 12,000 JAZZ™ to the Selah School District in Washington state, which delivers more than 3,200 daily meals to local students and are exploring similar regional opportunities.”
To learn more about No Kid Hungry and all of its COVID-19 efforts, please visit nokidhungry.org/coronavirus.
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About Oppy: growing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for more than 160 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the world’s harvest. With over 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Over the years, Oppy has introduced North Americans to a number of items across its diverse produce range, including Granny Smith, JAZZ™ and Envy™ apples, as well as green and gold kiwifruit. Go to oppy.com to learn more.
About T&G Global: NZ-based T&G Global works with passionate growers around the world to produce, sell and deliver the highest-quality fruit. We love our food, so we’re constantly exploring ways to make it more sustainable, fresh and delicious, to help people lead healthier lifestyles. T&G is a leader in the premium apple segment with its Envy™ and JAZZ™ branded varieties.
About JAZZ™: JAZZ™ is a trademarked brand that refers to the Scifresh apple variety. It was developed in New Zealand by Plant and Food Research and was patented in 2003 – the same year T&G, which owns the JAZZ™ trademark, began distributing in the U.S. via its marketing partner Oppy. JAZZ™ is now grown under license by T&G in New Zealand, the U.S., Chile, Asia, the UK, France and Australia. JAZZ™ is marketed in the U.S. by Oppy, CMI Orchards and Rainier Fruit Company.
