Bancroft, Wis. — Tasteful Selections, a specialty potato brand from RPE Inc., continues to promote non-profit partner Katie’s Krops in stores across the country to educate shoppers about local hunger relief efforts. The “Meet Your Grower” campaign allows shoppers to meet local Katie’s Krops growers and learn how their purchase of Tasteful Selections can make an impact in their communities. The campaign was launched at select retailers with customized in-store events, display contests, and point-of-sale materials this past October, and will continue through January.
Tasteful Selections is connecting retailers with their local Katie’s Krops growers as a part of its third year in partnership with the non-profit; empowering young growers to plant vegetable gardens and donate the harvests to the underserved. The local focus highlights the young growers and the local efforts to help end hunger in their communities.
The success of each in-store event and engagement from shoppers has been outstanding. “Wow, what a wonderful event!” exclaimed Shawna McGrath, teacher at Rocky Branch Elementary School in Watkinsville, Georgia. “I was so proud of [my students who] handed out coupons, potatoes and talked about our efforts to help end hunger.” Another Katie’s Krops grower, 15-year-old Katie Cannon from Bethesda, Maryland agreed, “It was so great to see just how many people really want to help out. Thanks [Tasteful Selections] for providing me with this awesome opportunity!”
As part of the campaign, a portion of the profits from specially-marked bags of Tasteful Selections’ Ruby Sensation and Honey Gold potatoes, available October through January, will go to Katie’s Krops.
“We want to make it easier for people to support those in need within their own communities, especially during the holiday season,” said Russell Wysocki, president and CEO of RPE Inc., co-owner of Tasteful Selections. “Our aim this year is to raise awareness about Katie’s Krops and invite our customers to take action in the fight against hunger.”
In addition to in-store marketing and activities, Tasteful Selections encourages consumers to learn more about Katie’s Krops by visiting their website at TastefulSelections.com/katieskrops/ and social media channels.
Founded by the now 17-year-old Katie Stagliano, the idea for Katie’s Krops was conceived in 2008, when Katie grew a 40-pound cabbage and donated it to a local soup kitchen. After seeing the impact of one large cabbage, Katie was determined she could do more to help those in need, and continued to do so since.
Katie’s Krops has donated thousands of pounds of fresh produce to organizations helping people in need both from Katie’s flagship garden in South Carolina and by awarding grants to youth-led gardens across the country. Currently, there are over 83 Katie's Krops growers in 31 states.
RPE and Tasteful Selections will continue to help Katie reach her goal of creating and maintaining 500 gardens across all 50 states by donating proceeds from packages of Tasteful Selections potatoes to help fund Katie’s Krops gardens.
About Katie’s Krops
Katie's Krops, 501(c)3 organization empowers youth across the country to end hunger in their communities one vegetable garden at a time. It was founded in 2008 by Katie's Stagliano who at the age of 9 donated a 40 pound cabbage to a soup kitchen where it fed 275 people. Moved by the experience, she started Katie's Krops, which currently funds over 83 youth-run gardens in 31 states from which the fresh harvest is donated to the underserved.
About Tasteful Selections
Tasteful Selections LLC is a joint venture of RPE, CSS Farms and Plover River Farms Alliance Inc. They are a vertically integrated grower, shipper, marketer of premium specialty potatoes with unique attributes for size and flavor.
About RPE
RPE, a second generation family farm, is a category leader and key grower/shipper of year-round potatoes and onions. RPE prides itself on maintaining a high level of business integrity that includes commitments to environmental sustainability, as well as category innovation and retail solutions.
Source: RPE