Pivonka Spotlights Marketing Opportunities at U.S. Ag Forum

The new dietary guidelines’ focus on fruits and vegetables presents a ripe marketing opportunity, PBH President and CEO Elizabeth Pivonka, PhD, RD, told attendees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2006 Agricultural Outlook Forum earlier this month. The featured speaker at a luncheon session, Pivonka highlighted opportunities that the national 5 A Day program – supported by an unprecedented public/private partnership – offers the horticulture industry. Noting the value this well-recognized consumer program offers small and large producers and marketers alike, she discussed some of the research that provided input into ongoing design of the program’s new brand identity. Held Feb. 16-17 in Arlington, Va., and attended by nearly 1,500 agricultural producers, businesses and government leaders from across the country, the conference focused on economic development opportunities of rural America in an increasingly global marketplace. 

Member Caito Foods’ Customers Learn Value of Health Marketing

Customers of Indianapolis-based regional produce supplier Caito Foods Service Inc., gained some powerful insights into the value of marketing the health benefits of fruits and vegetables this week. Appearing at PBH member Caito’s annual educational seminar Feb. 22, foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Pivonka, PhD, RD, profiled today’s increasingly health-conscious consumers, highlighting recent consumer research conducted for PBH. She also outlined recommendations for how retailers can impact these customers at the store level. To learn how PBH can help demonstrate the potential sales value of fruit and vegetable health marketing to your customers, contact PBH Senior Executive of Retail Marketing Bryant Wynes.

You don’t need to talk like an auctioneer to get noticed and show your support for PBH – all you need to do is donate an item for our Celebration of Life fundraising auctions, and we’ll do the rest! Show your peers you support PBH and its vital mission to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in America by donating items for the live and silent auctions to be held during PBH’s April 1 Celebration of Life gala. Partygoers always enjoy this fundraising event, bidding up their peers in the quest for the most coveted items – all for a good cause! Already on the auction block are exotic vacations, unique experiences including fly fishing and “A Day at the Races,” as well as goodies to cross off your Mother’s Day and birthday shopping lists – jewelry, electronics, gift baskets and more. This event generates lots of fun and funding; proceeds from the auction benefit PBH’s mission to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for better health. Donate your item – and increase your company’s visibility at the same time; visit the Celebration of Life auction website or contact PBH Senior Development Officer Kristin Hodgson. To purchase tickets to the gala, or to reserve a table, visit the Celebration of Life reservation website.

How well is your workplace? Several PBH board members are leading by example by embracing the PBH Worksite Nutrition Program in their own workplaces. BayerCropScience, Stemilt Growers and Pear Bureau Northwest are already putting PBH’s interactive, web-based program to work to help foster a healthy environment for their employees, setting a “practice what you preach” example. PBH’s 5 A Day @ Work program is designed to boost employee health and morale, and increase productivity in the process! The program helps employers learn ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the workplace and work-sponsored events. Meanwhile, employees can track their fruit and vegetable consumption, weight and physical activity, search for 5 A Day recipes, look up nutritional data information, and much more. Participating organizations can also access PBH nutrition, research and policy updates, as well as receive discounts on catalog items. To put the PBH Worksite Nutrition Program to work for the better health of your company, visit the PBH Worksite Nutrition Program website or contact PBH Senior Development Officer Kristin Hodgson.

Mailbox alert! PBH’s new catalog of fruit and vegetable marketing and nutrition education tools will arrive in mailboxes everywhere the first week in March. Our hot-off-the-press catalog features many new tools to help grow fruit and vegetable health awareness, consumption and sales. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’re a national retailer or local independent, a commodity board or a for-profit company, or a foodservice operator, nutritionist or teacher. Check out new items featuring our demonstrated sales-boosting Color Way message starring PBH’s Color Way Champions, kid-friendly fruit and vegetable superheroes who teach PBH’s color-based healthy eating message in ways that captivate young audiences. You can also shop online at shop5aday.org. For more information or to discuss volume discounts, contact our catalog customer service representatives.

PBH monitors the marketing of food products to children to help ensure that marketers are acting responsibly in promoting healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle. Last year, PBH, U.S. Apple Association (USApple), and Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) urged Kellogg Company to refrain from using the “Bad Apple” character in its advertising of Apple Jacks breakfast cereal because the character sends the wrong message about healthy eating to kids. Now, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the national Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., has reviewed Kellogg’s television, website and print advertising. In a formal ruling released Feb. 16, CARU recommended that Kellogg discontinue Apple Jacks advertising that references a “bad” apple. CARU also recommended that it refrain in the future from denigrating or disparaging apples and other fruits, and from stating or implying that cinnamon by itself gives Apple Jacks its sweet taste. In a public announcement, Kellogg stated that it respectfully disagrees with CARU’s conclusions, but noted that the company had made certain changes to the commercials that it believes are sufficient to address CARU’s concerns. According to CARU, the advertisements are no longer running, and there are no plans to run them in the future. Kellogg agreed to change the character’s name to remove the word “bad,” and is working to improve his disposition. For more information, view Advertising Age’s report.

PBH is pleased to recognize the following companies who joined or renewed their memberships in support of the foundation Feb. 7-Feb. 21. Your generous contributions help support PBH’s many activities to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. To find out how you can support PBH, and grow your business in the process, contact PBH Vice President of Development Claudia Wenzing.

The air of the Texas Rio Grande Valley has been filled with the sweet and lingering scent of citrus blossoms almost every spring since 1893. The beautiful sight and scent of the bloom is a familiar sign of the next citrus season. Among the palm tree lined groves stretching for miles across the Valley, exists a sweet slice of life on trees whose branches have touched generations far and wide.

Over time TexaSweet has gladly shared in the fond memories of that first taste of red grapefruit as passed along from generation to generation. Our shippers are proud to continue the tradition of Texas classics like Rio Star Grapefruit & Sweet Oranges and look forward to growing more memories. 

Since 1966, TexaSweet has contracted with the Texas Valley Citrus Committee for the purpose of developing and executing the promotional programs for the domestic sale of fresh Texas grapefruit and oranges. Visit us online.