The past year has tested the strength of the fitness industry, which lost more than 480,000 jobs due to the pandemic. Gyms are closing and the fitness pros that help us flex our ugliest #PROFACES - that ugly game face we all make when maxing out on the weight floor or on the field - are struggling. In tandem with its new Super Bowl ad which salutes these fierce #PROFACEs, Oikos PRO is launching Oikos PRO for Pros, a grant program, to help give independent fitness businesses and trainers the support and strength they need.
RLS Logistics, a national third-party logistics provider specializing in temperature-controlled logistics, announced their 2020 contribution total for their Pallets 4 Plates program. In 2020, through their program, 365,291 plates of food were supplied to charities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah, including Food Cowboy and the Food Bank of South Jersey. Also, equivalent cash contributions were made to Baker’s Club of Philadelphia, American Heart Association, Pink Clover Foundation, numerous local schools, and youth sports teams.
Concession stands and the stadium may be far from packed for the Big Game next week, but Farm Rich is reminding football fans why gameday experiences are often best enjoyed from the comforts of home anyways.
Sysco has purchased more than 21,000 gift cards providing a cash flow boost totaling more than $525,000 to support its restaurant customers across the United States. Each of these $25 gift cards were given to Sysco’s operations frontline associates in appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the company’s customers.
Cooking and preparing meals from home has increased 67% since COVID-19 began. After months of home-cooked meals, families are turning to prepared foods and easy prep meals as a way to save time and spice up their nightly dinner menus. In addition, 60% of home cooks report they rely on Instant Pots or similar appliances for their cooking routine for the simplicity, versatility, and convenience of making, flavorful meals with less cleanup.
Plant-based food brand Heura has made an in-kind donation to leading UK food charity Refettorio Felix to help provide nutritious plant-based meals to Londoners in need during January. The donation was made to celebrate Veganuary, the global challenge started in the United Kingdom that encourages people around the world to go vegan for the month of January. 400,000 people from 192 countries joined this initiative last year, and over one million people have taken part in the challenge since its inception.
Kevin’s Natural Foods, the only natural and health-focused refrigerated entrée brand in the nation, announced the company has experienced exponential growth during its first year of business. Empowering people to eat clean without sacrificing flavor, Kevin’s Natural Foods launched in the fall of 2019 and recorded $4.5 million in sales during its first quarter. Since its inception, the Northern California-based wellness brand has expanded rapidly, adding 6,000 retail locations nationwide in only 12 months. Experiencing a 460% revenue increase in 2020, the company projects to close out the year with $48 million in sales—thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic changing what, how and where consumers are eating.
Coconut Bliss, maker of plant-based frozen desserts, announces the launch of their first ever at-home ice cream machine, the Bliss Maker. The development of the Bliss Maker was a direct response to a growing consumer interest for at-home experiences amidst the pandemic. Along with the Bliss Maker, the brand unveiled two Coconut Bliss soft serve mixes, Dark Chocolate and Madagascan Vanilla, that provide consumers the same quality ingredients, creamy texture, and "OMG it's vegan?" taste, from the comfort of their own homes.
US Foods announced that since March the company has donated more than $35 million in food and supplies to fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic, the equivalent of approximately 17 million meals.