Get Adobe Flash player

Safeway, YouTube’s MrBeast Team Up for ‘Survive in a Grocery Store’ Videos

Safeway, the leading banner operated by Albertsons Companies, has partnered with avid philanthropist and top digital creator MrBeast, AKA Jimmy Donaldson, on the latest challenge to hit the popular YouTube channel. Available to watch now, the “Survive in a Grocery Store” video shows MrBeast challenging a contestant to see how many days he can live inside a Safeway grocery store. Every day the man remains in the store, he wins $10,000, but there’s a catch. He must choose $10,000 worth of products to donate to local charities each day as well.

“Safeway has a longstanding history of giving back to the community, so when we learned of this incredibly fun and unique opportunity to partner with MrBeast and help our neighbors in need, we were thrilled,” said Jennifer Saenz, EVP and chief merchandising officer at Albertsons Cos. “Our collaboration with MrBeast furthers our mission to break the cycle of hunger as part of our Recipe for Change environmental, social and governance framework. We’re also introducing MrBeast’s fanbase to the extensive assortment of popular products they can find in their local Safeway store, including Feastables candy and cookies.”

Thanks to Safeway, MrBeast and brand sponsors, including Shopify, over $450,000 worth of groceries, electronics, paper goods and more were donated to local nonprofit organizations including Feeding America, You Need Help Outreach Ministries, Kinston Teens, Hope Restorations, The Salvation Army Greenville, Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County and Beast Philanthropy.

“Working with MrBeast and Safeway has been a great experience that we will never forget. The quantity of donations was amazing, and we are certain that it made history in our ministry. We appreciate every donation that was given,” said Carl Darden, CEO of You Need Help Outreach Ministries.

Safeway partnered with Copia, a technology company that connects food donations to local not-for-profits in need, to identify and manage donation opportunities from the store to local nonprofit organizations.

“Copia is honored to have connected the generous donations from the MrBeast challenge with local nonprofits including Kinston Teens and Beast Philanthropy and many others who tirelessly serve their local community,” said Kimberly Smith, CEO for Copia. “We applaud MrBeast for shining a spotlight on the very real issue of food insecurity in our country, and we are proud to partner with him and Albertsons Cos., a grocer committed to reducing hunger across the United States.”

Brand sponsors that helped stock the store for this exciting challenge included PepsiCo, Vita Coco, Campbell’s, Red Baron Pizza, Dude Wipes and Country Crock.

“PepsiCo is thrilled to partner with Albertsons Cos. as the exclusive direct-store-delivery beverage provider for MrBeast’s latest video,” said Shannon Bennett, vice president, retail sales, PepsiCo Beverages North America, West Division. “We proudly provided 20 pallets of assorted PepsiCo products that were donated to the local community, and we are excited for everyone to check out MrBeast’s newest challenge. We think fans will especially love the contestant’s creative use of the Starry lemon lime flavored soda 12-packs!”

To complete MrBeast’s latest idea and make sure it was a real experience for the contestant, Albertsons Companies and their Safeway team worked with MrBeast’s team on the cash registers, aisles, signage, placement and merchandising to make sure every aspect of the store was a true functional grocery store—including seasonal areas and specialty sections found only in and around special occasions.

The “Survive in a Grocery Store” video is live now on the MrBeast YouTube channel and has been translated into 14 languages across the globe.

For more news of interest to the grocery industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Williams Sonoma Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Peppermint Bark

Williams Sonoma, a portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, has released the 25th Anniversary of The Original Peppermint Bark. After 20 rounds of recipe testing, in 1998, Williams Sonoma founder Chuck Williams and the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen team developed the signature recipe for The Original Peppermint Bark that sparked a food trend that is celebrated by chocolate enthusiasts around the world during the holiday season.

The signature recipe for Williams Sonoma’s iconic Peppermint Bark combines a custom blend of light and dark Guittard chocolate layered with triple-distilled peppermint oil, to create a seasonal confection that is often replicated, but never matched in quality or flavor to the Williams Sonoma standard.

Those who eagerly await the annual arrival of the candy contribute to the consumption of over one million pounds of Guittard chocolate and 65,000 pounds of peppermint candy pieces. From start to finish, each batch of Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark takes more than 24 hours to make, and it takes Williams Sonoma’s chocolatiers over 12 weeks to produce enough Peppermint Bark to satiate the demand from customers.

The popularity of Peppermint Bark has prompted Williams Sonoma to also carry 35 different flavored products this year ranging from pretzels and cookies to an Espresso Martini Mix.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary , Williams Sonoma, together with Visa, has launched “A Chance To Win With Every Tin” campaign. There are over 1,500 gift cards hidden inside select tins with one tin containing a grand prize of a $1,000 Williams Sonoma gift card.

“We are proud to be the originators of the Peppermint Bark trend having developed a flavor profile that has become as synonymous with the holidays as pumpkin spice is to Fall,” said Williams Sonoma President Felix Carbullido. “For 25 years, our customers have celebrated the start of the holiday season with our signature Peppermint Bark, and we are excited to offer a commemorative tin this year in recognition of this anniversary.”

The complete collection is now available at all Williams Sonoma stores and on the Williams Sonoma website.

For more information on the collection, please visit:
www.williams-sonoma.com/peppermintbark.

For more news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

California Table Grape Growers Offer Scholarships

Three categories of scholarships, offered by California table grape growers, are available to graduating high school seniors from the table grape growing regions of California.

Of the three categories of scholarships, two are available to field workers and their families.

The first category is a Bridge Scholarship for $14,500 and is available to graduating seniors who will attend two years of a community college and transfer to a four-year university.

The second category is a $25,000 scholarship for graduating seniors who will attend a four-year university.

The third category of scholarship is a $25,000 Agricultural Scholarship available to students residing in the Coachella or San Joaquin valleys who will attend a four-year university and are interested in a field of study applicable to the table grape industry.

Three scholarships from each category are available. Applicants for all scholarships must plan to attend a California college or university. The deadline to apply for all scholarships is Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 at 5 p.m.

Since 1985, California table grape growers have aided nearly 200 students in attending college.

To hear recent scholarship recipients in their own words, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/scholarship-recipients/

For more information on the scholarship program, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/ or email: Scholarships@grapesfromcalifornia.com.

For more news of interest to the produce industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.