MARKETING MANEUVERS

Frozen Mexican foods leader Ruiz Foods, Dinuba, Calif., launched a national retail consumer promotion featuring NASCAR driver Ryan Newman,  who is sponsored by Ruiz's hand-held frozen snacks brand, Tornados.

From May 1 to mid-August, 2010, consumers will be able to purchase a limited edition product box that contains one of 10 Ryan Newman Tornados Racing collector cards. Each limited edition product box features the colorful Tornados Sprint Cup Series No. 39 Chevrolet and the photograph of a Ryan Newman collectible card. Each collectible card bears a code that can be entered for hundreds of prizes. Registration is completed on mytornados.com.

The grand “Ticket to Ride” prize will feature: a VIP trip for two to Charlotte, N.C., to include hotel accommodations for three days and two nights; hot laps with Tornados NASCAR driver Ryan Newman; driving lessons at the Richard Petty Rookie School; and a tour of NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Ruiz said it will support the promotion with national FSI’s and television ads as well as promotions at Facebook and mytornados.com.



Every day, millions of school children across the United States grab a lunch tray and get in line.  Few, if any, know the history behind the line or that they have the power to change what gets placed on the tray.  Addressing that topic is a new documentary, Lunch Line, which is presented by Applegate Farms and premieres in Detroit at the national "Farm to Cafeteria Conference."

Lunch Line follows the personal story of six high school students from Chicago who enter a cooking contest to create a healthier school lunch and end up serving their winning meal to congressional leaders and touring the White House with executive mansion chefs. The tale of the students from Tilden Career Community Academy High School is interspersed with archival footage and interviews with current leaders from both ends of the lunch line, including government officials, school foodservice experts and activists.

The Tilden students were challenged to create a meal that exceeds United States Department of Agriculture standards and use only $1 per meal for ingredients – the average amount spent on food per child for the National School Lunch Program, said Rochelle Davis, executive director of the Healthy Schools Campaign, the non-profit organization that holds the "Cooking Up Change" contest that the Tilden students won.  "These students were faced with the challenges faced by foodservice directors across the country," said Davis. "Yet, they also seized the opportunity to learn about school food systems and the need for change."

"The story of the Tilden kids is what hooked me, and I hope they will inspire other young people to be active in their school community," said Stephen McDonnell, founder and CEO of Applegate Farms, the company presenting the film.  "By participating in the process and speaking up about the need to improve funding for the National School Lunch Program, the Tilden kids showed how we all can get involved to make real and lasting change."

Applegate Farms, Bridgewater, N.J., processes natural and organic meats. Applegate says it created its own resource, www.eattoanewbeat.com, to empower kids to eat better, learn about real food and understand how they can create change in their own "lunch lines" at school.