NatureSweet Named Official Snacking Vegetable of Little League
As local Little League programs around the world are gearing up and celebrating their Opening Days, NatureSweet is teaming up with Little League for an exciting season as “The Official Snacking Vegetable of Little League Baseball and Softball.”
“We are thrilled to work with our partners at NatureSweet as we continue to find new ways to provide all our families with a fun, healthy, and memorable Little League experience,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League executive vice president and chief marketing and business relationship officer. “As a community-based program, we are excited to align with NatureSweet’s commitment to providing a positive social, environmental, and economic impact within its communities and look forward to partnering with them through 2025.”
As the No. 1 selling snacking tomato brand in the country and an industry leader in greenhouse-grown vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, NatureSweet is committed to supporting the thousands of local Little League programs across the United States. As part of its support, NatureSweet will include the Little League brand on its product packaging and is also launching a campaign this year called “Dugout Delights,” which provides families and local leagues with suggestions on iconic snacks they can add to their lineup this season.
In addition to year-round support at the local level, NatureSweet will also be a part of the unique experience within the World Series Fan Zone at the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in August.
“America’s favorite snacking tomato brand is the perfect tasty treat to enjoy while watching America’s favorite pastime,” says Sergio Trujillo, NatureSweet’s Brand Manager of Snacking Tomatoes. “Our fresh produce snacking line of bite-sized tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers are healthy and convenient treats that nurture developing minds and bodies. We’re thrilled to announce our official sponsorship with Little League as ‘The Official Snacking Vegetable of Little League Baseball and Softball,’ and we are dedicated to aligning both our commitments to providing a positive impact within communities and supporting thousands of Little League programs across the nation.”
For more than 75 years, Little League has partnered with major corporations on a national level to help keep the costs for our local Little Leagues to a minimum, offer unparalleled benefits to those member leagues, support the social impact initiatives of the organization and its local communities, and provide the necessary funding and resources to support local leagues at the grassroots level. Sponsors help leagues operate smoothly, provide training resources for coaches, offset expenses for educational initiatives, offer grant programs for leagues in need, assist in supporting tournament costs, and provide opportunities and knowledge in fundraising, operations, nutrition, and safety. In short, sponsors provide access and opportunities so that local leagues may offer the best programs possible, helping ensure that players and volunteers can have a fun and rewarding Little League experience while supporting their community.
To learn more about what NatureSweet can offer to local leagues, as well as what all of Little League’s Official Sponsors can provide, visit LittleLeague.org/Sponsors. Additionally, to learn more about the 2024 Little League World Series events, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries and download the World Series app in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
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Heroes Pantry Addresses Food Insecurity for Military, Veterans
Food for Health, a program under the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has launched the Heroes Pantry in San Diego to alleviate the burden of food insecurity among veterans, active duty servicemembers, and military families exacerbated by the high cost of living, especially for those facing health challenges or needing to cover medical expenses.
The new Heroes Pantry will offer fresh vegetables and fruits sourced directly from farms, with a focus on providing healthy options tailored to veterans with specific dietary needs. It is open and free to all veterans and active duty members. It will operate bi-weekly initially and expand to weekly distributions as needed.
Research from the Military Family Advisory Network reveals that food insecurity among military and veteran families is twice the national average, affecting one in six households. RAND reports that 1.4 million veterans struggle to access adequate food, leading to severe health implications.
“It is unacceptable that those who have served and protected our nation are going hungry,” said Carlos Marroquin, national director of food for health programs at AHF. “Veterans and active military personnel have sacrificed their well-being for our safety, and it is our duty to ensure they have access to nutritious food.”
“Veterans should not be forced to choose between basic necessities like rent and food,” added Wendy Calderon, VFW Post commander. “The rising cost of living has deprived many of them of a healthy lifestyle. The Heroes Pantry aims to provide assistance and promote wellness among those who have selflessly served our country.”
AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 1.9 million individuals across 45 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and subscribe to our AHFter Hours podcast.
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Sweetgreen Appoints Retail Veteran Williams as COO
Sweetgreen announced the appointment of Rossann Williams as the company’s chief operating officer, effective Feb. 5. Williams joins Sweetgreen’s executive leadership team and will oversee operations, real estate + development and supply chain for the company.
Williams is an accomplished global operations executive bringing more than 30 years of experience leading retail businesses. Williams is a respected and engaged leader focused on cultivating high-performance teams at every level of the business.
“Rossann is an industry veteran with a proven track record in driving sustainable growth of global, iconic brands and leading teams to generate profitability,” said Jonathan Neman, CEO and co-founder of Sweetgreen. “Rossann complements the existing skills and experience of our leadership team as we pursue our next chapter of growth. It’s clear that she shares our values, and I look forward to partnering with Rossann to further our mission of connecting more communities to real food.”
Prior to joining Sweetgreen, Williams spent over 18 years at Starbucks, where she rose to EVP and president of North America retail. In this role, she oversaw a market of approximately 16,000 stores, where she significantly improved same-store sales, successfully opened thousands of new stores and helped navigate the company through the pandemic. At Starbucks, Williams also served in senior operations roles across North America, eventually rising to SVP, global and Americas operations services. Previously, Williams held leadership roles for several well-known Fortune 500 brands, including Blockbuster and Toys “R” Us.
“I’ve long admired Sweetgreen’s leadership as a founder-led, mission-driven company driving the industry forward. I am deeply aligned with Sweetgreen’s values, people-centric approach and commitment to connect more people to delicious, real food. I’m thrilled to be joining the Sweetgreen team at a moment of significant growth and an incredible opportunity ahead,” said Williams.
Sweetgreen is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Sweetgreen sources the best quality ingredients from farmers and suppliers they trust to cook food from scratch that is both delicious and nourishing. They plant roots in each community by building a transparent supply chain, investing in local farmers and growers, and enhancing the total experience with innovative technology.
Since opening its first 560-square-foot location in 2007, Sweetgreen has scaled to over 220 locations across the United States, and their vision is to lead the next generation of restaurants and lifestyle brands built on quality, community and innovation.
To learn more about Sweetgreen, its menu, and its loyalty program, visit www.Sweetgreen.com. Follow @Sweetgreen on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
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