SpongeBob and Dora now pitching tree fruit
SpongeBob and Dora now pitching tree fruit
Summeripe Worldwide Inc. in Dinuba, CA, and Nickelodeon have completed a new multi-year licensing agreement to bring Nickelodeon's most popular characters, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, to grocers nationwide on kid-friendly packages of farm-fresh peaches, plums and nectarines.
Nickelodeon, a leading entertainment brand for kids, has an established and growing menu of healthy food partnerships and offerings that include fresh baby carrots, clementines, apples, pears, cherries, spinach and organic edamame. The new Nickelodeon/Summeripe Worldwide agreement expands on the success of the innovative licensing initiative launched by Nickelodeon in 2005 to encourage healthier diet and lifestyle choices for kids.
"Adding SpongeBob and Dora peaches, plums and nectarines to our successful assortment of 'Nickelodeon' branded fruits and vegetables are going to make the produce aisle even more kid-friendly," Sherice Torres, vice president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, said in a press release. "Nickelodeon is committed to encouraging kids to eat right and make healthy food choices."
Starting in the spring, Summeripe Worldwide will produce both loose and packaged offerings of yellow- and white-flesh peaches and nectarines as well as a complete variety of plums and Pluots. The child-sized fruit will feature SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer graphics on the packaging to help make it easier for parents to encourage their children to eat fresh fruits as part of a healthy diet.
Pat Steider, president of Summeripe Worldwide Inc., said in the press release, "This partnership with Nickelodeon is a great step-forward for Summeripe. We as a company want to be an industry leader in creating exciting opportunities for parents and children to have healthy and delicious kid-sized fresh fruit products. Nickelodeon's importance in the minds and lives of children will accelerate our efforts of getting great-tasting and nutritional fruit into children's daily diet."
Using its characters to entice kids to try healthy food alternatives is just one of the ways Nickelodeon has been working to encourage healthy, balanced lifestyles for kids. The network has committed $30 million in resources and 10 percent of its air time to health and wellness messaging through programming, PSA campaigns and more.
Nickelodeon is in its fourth year of its award-winning pro-social initiative, "Let's Just Play." In 2005, "Let's Just Play" entered into a partnership with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation to combat the spread of childhood obesity. The three organizations combined forces on a comprehensive media and public awareness campaign, encouraging young people to engage in healthy and active lifestyles.
The Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, an on-air and grassroots multimedia campaign, developed by Nickelodeon and the alliance, launched in April. The Go Healthy Challenge follows real kids on air in their quests towards healthier lifestyles, while empowering kids and communities with the information and tools to work toward similar goals. From April to September, more than 150,000 kids pledged to "Go Healthy."
This year's Go Healthy Challenge culminated in the network's third annual Worldwide Day of Play, which motivated 260,000 kids to get out and play for an afternoon on Sept. 30. The initiative has motivated 750,000 kids to be active over the past three years. The 2007 Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge will kickoff in first quarter. Over the past two years, Nickelodeon has also awarded approximately $2 million in grants and through its "Let's Just Play Giveaway" to schools and after-school programs to help provide resources that will create and expand opportunities for physical play.
Nickelodeon, currently in its 27th year, is a leading entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, consumer products, on-line, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 90 million households and has been the highest-rated basic cable network for 11 consecutive years.
Summeripe Worldwide has distinguished itself in the produce industry by providing consistent quality and flavor in its ready-to-eat farm-fresh peaches, plums and nectarines. The company is comprised of the Summeripe Alliance, an association of leading growers of California-grown tree fruit that share a common vision and passion for conditioned ready-to-eat fruits that have a superior flavor profile. Summeripe has made an aggressive commitment to research and development to enhance the flavor and consistency of its fruit through an all-natural ripening process.
Nickelodeon, a leading entertainment brand for kids, has an established and growing menu of healthy food partnerships and offerings that include fresh baby carrots, clementines, apples, pears, cherries, spinach and organic edamame. The new Nickelodeon/Summeripe Worldwide agreement expands on the success of the innovative licensing initiative launched by Nickelodeon in 2005 to encourage healthier diet and lifestyle choices for kids.
"Adding SpongeBob and Dora peaches, plums and nectarines to our successful assortment of 'Nickelodeon' branded fruits and vegetables are going to make the produce aisle even more kid-friendly," Sherice Torres, vice president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, said in a press release. "Nickelodeon is committed to encouraging kids to eat right and make healthy food choices."
Starting in the spring, Summeripe Worldwide will produce both loose and packaged offerings of yellow- and white-flesh peaches and nectarines as well as a complete variety of plums and Pluots. The child-sized fruit will feature SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer graphics on the packaging to help make it easier for parents to encourage their children to eat fresh fruits as part of a healthy diet.
Pat Steider, president of Summeripe Worldwide Inc., said in the press release, "This partnership with Nickelodeon is a great step-forward for Summeripe. We as a company want to be an industry leader in creating exciting opportunities for parents and children to have healthy and delicious kid-sized fresh fruit products. Nickelodeon's importance in the minds and lives of children will accelerate our efforts of getting great-tasting and nutritional fruit into children's daily diet."
Using its characters to entice kids to try healthy food alternatives is just one of the ways Nickelodeon has been working to encourage healthy, balanced lifestyles for kids. The network has committed $30 million in resources and 10 percent of its air time to health and wellness messaging through programming, PSA campaigns and more.
Nickelodeon is in its fourth year of its award-winning pro-social initiative, "Let's Just Play." In 2005, "Let's Just Play" entered into a partnership with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation to combat the spread of childhood obesity. The three organizations combined forces on a comprehensive media and public awareness campaign, encouraging young people to engage in healthy and active lifestyles.
The Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, an on-air and grassroots multimedia campaign, developed by Nickelodeon and the alliance, launched in April. The Go Healthy Challenge follows real kids on air in their quests towards healthier lifestyles, while empowering kids and communities with the information and tools to work toward similar goals. From April to September, more than 150,000 kids pledged to "Go Healthy."
This year's Go Healthy Challenge culminated in the network's third annual Worldwide Day of Play, which motivated 260,000 kids to get out and play for an afternoon on Sept. 30. The initiative has motivated 750,000 kids to be active over the past three years. The 2007 Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge will kickoff in first quarter. Over the past two years, Nickelodeon has also awarded approximately $2 million in grants and through its "Let's Just Play Giveaway" to schools and after-school programs to help provide resources that will create and expand opportunities for physical play.
Nickelodeon, currently in its 27th year, is a leading entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, consumer products, on-line, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 90 million households and has been the highest-rated basic cable network for 11 consecutive years.
Summeripe Worldwide has distinguished itself in the produce industry by providing consistent quality and flavor in its ready-to-eat farm-fresh peaches, plums and nectarines. The company is comprised of the Summeripe Alliance, an association of leading growers of California-grown tree fruit that share a common vision and passion for conditioned ready-to-eat fruits that have a superior flavor profile. Summeripe has made an aggressive commitment to research and development to enhance the flavor and consistency of its fruit through an all-natural ripening process.
