Gelson’s Teams With Brighter Bites, Zespri Kiwifruit on Promo
Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to families, has teamed up with Southern California independent grocer Gelson’s and Zespri Kiwifruit to host a two week in-store promotion from Aug. 14 through Aug. 27. During the promotion, Gelson’s and Zespri will each donate $1 ($2 total) to the organization for every 1-pound package of Zespri SunGold Kiwi purchased.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Zespri Kiwifruit and Brighter Bites for the second year of this promotion,” said Sean Saenz, VP of fresh foods at Encino, Calif.-based Gelson’s. “This initiative aligns with our commitment to offering high-quality products and supporting the health and well-being of our local communities.”
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The promotion was developed to support Brighter Bites’ mission of creating healthy communities through fresh food. When they buy Zespri SunGold Kiwi at any Gelson’s store, shoppers are contributing to a cause that provides fresh produce and nutrition education to kids and their families.
“Zespri is proud to join Gelson’s in supporting Brighter Bites,” noted Jeanne Wilson, head of marketing for Newport Beach, Calif.-based Zespri North America. “Our SunGold Kiwifruit is not only a tasty and nutritious choice, but also a means to make a positive impact on children’s health and nutrition.”
Last year, the three entities united to raise $2,500 to help Brighter Bites provide reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education and recipes featuring fresh food.
“This type of collaboration is a great example of how retailers and produce companies can come together to support an important mission of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to local communities,” observed Rich Dachman, CEO of Houston-based Brighter Bites. “Our promotion together last year was a great success, and we look forward to continuing to work together to encourage healthier choices.”
Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided more than 65 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to 1 million-plus individuals, including teachers, in Austin, Texas; Bakersfield, Calif.; Dallas; Houston; Las Cruces, N.M.; Los Angeles; Phoenix; New York City; Salinas, Calif.; San Antonio; southwest Florida; and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Zespri works with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with Zespri Green, Zespri SunGold and Zespri Organic Kiwifruit.
Gelson’s was founded in 1951. The company now operates 27 locations throughout Southern California.
