Southern Glazer’s Rewards VolunCheer of the Year, Charities
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has announced the recipient of its 2022 VolunCheer of the Year Award, Lisa Flowers-Espinosa, customer service manager from Southern Glazer’s in Phoenix. VolunCheers is Southern Glazer’s grassroots employee volunteering and giving program that empowers team members to engage with charities in their local communities. These efforts are managed through the company’s enterprise-wide digital portal, VolunCheers Online, where employees can connect with each other, organize and promote volunteering and giving activities.
For the annual VolunCheer of the Year program, employees voted from among a group of 2022 VolunCheer of the Month winners to determine who would be selected to receive a prize of $5,000 donated to the winner’s charity of choice.
Flowers-Espinosa received special VolunCheer recognition for her efforts in hosting a donation drive for Youth On Their Own (YOTO), a charity that supports local youth with food, school supplies, toiletries, and academic support. In 2022, Flowers-Espinosa successfully spearheaded a donation drive benefiting YOTO by working with a local team of employee volunteers to collect donations to support the youth in her community facing homelessness. The charity was positively overwhelmed by the overflow of donations and commented, “This was the most donations we have ever received at one time!”
In recognition of her award, Flowers-Espinosa selected the Navajo Relief Fund and Boys & Girls Club of the (east) Valley to be the recipients of Southern Glazer’s $5,000 donation, with each charity receiving $2,500 on her behalf.
“The two charities that I have selected play a huge role in everything that I stand for, particularly a better future for youth and their families,” said Flowers-Espinosa. “The Boys and Girls Club serves over 13,000 young people in grades K-12 right in the center of my hometown. As a latch-key kid myself, I understand fully the need for after-school and summer programs for our children, especially youth at risk. Also, a large part of the Arizona population is Native Americans. The Navajo Relief Fund serves the largest Indian reservation in the United States, spanning over 16 million acres in Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Utah. In the face of extreme poverty and adversity, it just felt right to help the families of Diné Nation (our Native Navajos).”
Southern Glazer’s also rounded out 2022 with its annual Holiday Giving Campaign, during which the company pledged to donate $25 for every volunteer hour logged by employees on VolunCheers Online throughout November and December. The beneficiaries of the campaign are the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG), Arbor Day Foundation, Dress for Success, and Feeding America, with 10 percent of total donations benefiting Southern Glazer’s Canada’s charity of choice, Sickkids.
Southern Glazer’s employees more than doubled last year’s results by logging 2,881 volunteer hours in support of diverse causes on VolunCheers Online, resulting in a total donation of $72,025 to support the five selected charities above. As a result of employees’ commitment to giving back, the USBG, Arbor Day Foundation, Dress for Success, and Feeding America will each receive a $16,205.62 donation and Sickkids will receive a $7,205.50 donation, to help further their meaningful work on behalf of Southern Glazer’s.
“Southern Glazer’s encourages volunteerism that fosters opportunity and belonging in the communities where we live and operate,” said Wayne E. Chaplin, chief executive officer. “Our employees are constantly finding ways to expand our volunteer footprint and increase their collective positive impact. The VolunCheers program here at Southern Glazer’s not only makes it easy for employees to find and initiate volunteer and fundraising activities, it allows us to recognize our employees’ commitment to change the world one action at a time.”
Month after month, Southern Glazer’s employees expressed their gratitude through meaningful charitable work. The company is proud to close 2022 with nearly 12,200 employee volunteer hours logged and 210 employee-led volunteer events organized to benefit more than 185 charities.
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Pine River Offers Anniversary Cheese Spread at Winter Fancy Food
Pine River Cheese Spread will debut a limited edition anniversary cheese spread, 60-Month Cheddar, at the Winter Fancy Food Show held Jan. 15-17 in Las Vegas. The cheese spread was created in honor of the company’s 60th anniversary, which it celebrates in 2023.
“The 5-year-old Wisconsin Cheddar gives this spread an extra creamy texture that has a rich cheddar flavor with a slightly tangy bite,” said Phil Lindemann, Pine River CEO. “The art of cheese spread making comes in the aging and blending process. We know which ages of cheese to combine to get the best flavor and we’ve been following the same recipe since my father started the company 60 years ago. ”
The highly decorated cheese spread company will be exhibiting in the Wisconsin Cheese Booth, #817. In addition to the 60-Month Cheddar, Pine River will be sampling many of its 21 Cold Pack flavors, as well as offerings from its Clean Label and Shelf-Stable cheese spread lines.
Founded on more than five generations of experience in the dairy industry, Pine River Cheese Spread produces three styles of award-winning Wisconsin Cheese Spread—Cold Pack Cheese Spread, Clean Label Cold Pack Cheese Spread, and Shelf-Stable Gourmet Snack Spread. We also offer Private Label, Food Service, and Fundraising services. The cheese spreads are crafted one batch at a time in a state-of-the-art facility in Newton, Wis.
Coming soon: Our Spring Cheese Guide! Subscribe to Gourmet News so you don’t miss it.
Kona Gold La Lemin Lemonades to Be Distributed in Minnesota
Kona Gold Beverage, Inc., a holding company focused on product development in the better-for-you and functional beverage sector has signed distribution agreements with Dahlheimer Beverage and Michaud Distributing in Minnesota. Dahlheimer and Michaud will be distributing the company’s quickly growing 12-ounce sparkling and 16-ounce non-sparkling Ooh La Lemin Lemonades across Minnesota.
Dahlheimer is a third-generation family-owned business, started over 60 years ago, and it has since grown into a full beverage distributor. Dahlheimer services approximately 4,800 customers across 54 counties in Minnesota, reaching from the northern tip to the southern border.
Michaud Distributing is a fourth-generation family-owned company. Michaud, also started 60 years ago and prides itself on superior customer service and cover both Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin.
“I’m pleased to announce that in our efforts to distribute our Ooh La Lemin Lemonades across the entire state of Minnesota, we have partnered with two top distributors, Dahlheimer and Michaud,” stated Robert Clark, CEO of Kona Gold Beverage, Inc. “Our team is excited to be expanding our footprint in the great state of Minnesota with our Ooh La Lemin Lemonade beverage line. Dahlheimer and Michaud will be key in facilitating growth and give us the coverage we need in their markets as we look forward to growing the partnerships in 2023.”
Kona Gold Beverage recently announced it closed out 2022 with a record revenue month in December compared to all previous Decembers in Company history with approximate revenues of just over $400,000. This is a display of strength in sales as December is generally the slowest month in the beverage industry. Kona Gold Beverage also finished the quarter with approximately $1,190,000 in revenue, its second strongest quarter in Company history.
Kona Gold Beverage, Inc., a Delaware corporation, has created wholly owned subsidiaries, Kona Gold LLC, HighDrate, LLC, and Gold Leaf Distribution, LLC. Kona Gold, LLC has developed a premium hemp-Infused energy drink line.
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