PLANO, Texas, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The SunChips brand, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division's popular line of multigrain snacks, today announced it will work with Kroger to help raise $1 million to help revitalize Galveston, Texas, which was devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008.
The Galveston Seawall is a 10-mile national historic engineering landmark that protects the island from the ravages of the sea. Rebuilding and enhancing the Seawall is a key element in the city's recovery as it serves as a major driver for tourism.
To raise the money, the SunChips brand is working with Kroger. From August 23 through September 19, when consumers buy two bags of SunChips multigrain snacks at any of the more than 2400 Kroger stores across the U.S., $1.00 will be donated to the project, up to $1 million. Funds raised will be used to create an environmentally friendly park on the famous Galveston Seawall.
"The SunChips brand team and Kroger know the revitalization of the Seawall is crucial to Galveston's long-term recovery, and the city has identified a number of projects to help the effort," said Gannon Jones, vice president, portfolio marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "We can be a catalyst for the revitalization, help start some of these worthwhile projects, and impact the community and the environment in a positive way."
"Tourism is one of our most important economic drivers for the Island, and we are very grateful for this generous donation in a time of need," said Betty Massey, chairperson of the Galveston Long Term Recovery Committee. "With the significance of the Seawall, this is the perfect location to begin the renaissance of Galveston's signature visitor attraction and important community gathering place. The transformation of one of the longest contiguous sidewalks in the country into a real urban park will have a catalytic effect on Galveston's recovery."
Kroger has a longstanding presence in the Galveston community. With 113 stores and 12,000 associates directly affected by Hurricane Ike, and one store along the proposed seawall restoration project, Kroger quickly signed on to help the brand meet its goal.
"Kroger is committed to serving local communities where our stores are located and our associates reside," said Bill Breetz, Southwest President, Kroger. "Kroger store teams moved quickly into action after Hurricane Ike. Not only was Kroger the first grocer to reopen, we provided residents and rescue workers with supplies, meals and counseling services. I am proud of our associates for their leadership in a time of crisis and pleased to continue giving back through our partnership to rebuild Galveston."
The Galveston revitalization program is another small step in the SunChips brand's sustainability journey. The brand recently helped rebuild Greensburg, Kan., after a devastating tornado destroyed nearly all of the community in 2007, by sponsoring the construction of a business incubator to help the town's economic infrastructure. The incubator was built using a variety of sustainable elements like solar panels to help minimize its environmental footprint.
Recently, the SunChips brand partnered with National Geographic on the "Green Effect" initiative to encourage consumers to take their own small steps toward helping the planet. Also this year, the SunChips brand announced that in 2010, it plans to introduce the first fully compostable snack chip bag of its kind made from plant-based renewable materials.
SunChips multigrain snacks, originally introduced in 1991, contain a full serving of whole grains, 0 grams of trans fats, and are made with sunflower oil. SunChips snacks, available in Original, Harvest Cheddar, French Onion, Garden Salsa and Peppercorn Ranch flavors, provide 18 grams of whole grains per one ounce serving from a blend of corn, oats and wheat.
Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, www.fritolay.com, and the Snack Chat blog, www.snacks.com. PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com.
SOURCE Frito-Lay North America
SOURCE: Frito-Lay North America