Gourmet News

Newman’s Own Foundation Launches $100K Community Giveaway

Published November 16, 2023

Newman’s Own Foundation, the private foundation founded by legendary actor, racecar driver and philanthropist Paul Newman to carry on his legacy of giving away 100 percent of all the profits and royalties it receives from the sale of Newman’s Own food and beverages, announced the launch of Newman’s Own $100k Community Giveaway. As part of this new initiative, Newman’s Own Foundation invites members of the public to join the Newman’s Own Community Fund and vote from a shortlist of selected food justice organizations to determine which will receive a share of more than $100,000 in funding.

As we approach the holiday season, food justice for children and families remains a pressing issue. According to the recent annual report by The U.S. Department of Agriculture, 13.4 million children lived in households that experienced food insecurity in 2022, up 44.6 percent from 2021. Newman’s Own Foundation has been working with leading, community-based food justice organizations as part of its mission to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. For the Newman’s Own $100k Community Giveaway, the Foundation has shortlisted 15 of its 2023 grantee partners that are working towards addressing the root causes of food insecurity for children, with an emphasis on nutritious food in schools and indigenous food justice.

“Leading up to Giving Tuesday, we’re doing something different and asking the public to vote and help us give away more than $100,000 to support food justice for kids,” said Alex Amouyel, president and CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation. “It’s unacceptable that children go to school hungry in this country. Now more than ever, we know that we need to work with incredible community-based organizations that can address root causes and bring forth community-based solutions including relying on centuries of indigenous wisdom when it comes to regenerative agriculture and healthy eating to promote food justice for kids.”

To participate, members of the public may register for free with Newman’s Own Community Fund and then cast their vote. Donations are also welcome, and Newman’s Own Foundation will match the first $10,000 raised from the public, increasing the overall size of the giveaway.

Voting is open, with each individual eligible to vote once in each category. Final votes must be cast by Nov. 28 at 11:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Based on the total number of votes, Newman’s Own Foundation will offer three prizes for each of the two program areas (Nutritious Food in Schools and Indigenous Food Justice): $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 as well as a share of the pooled funds raised and matched in addition.

The participating organizations in the Newman’s Own $100k Community Giveaway are:

For Nutritious Food in Schools:

For Indigenous Food Justice:

To learn more about the grantee partners, and cast a vote, visit Newman’s Own Community Fund page here.

Newman’s Own Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation whose mission is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. The Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to use all the money that it receives—100% of the profits and royalties—from the sale of Newman’s Own products in service of its mission. Through the efforts of Paul Newman and Newman’s Own, over $600 million has been given to social impact organizations since 1982. Today, Newman’s Own Foundation grantee partners promote nutritious food in schools, advocate for Indigenous food justice, and create joyful experiences for children living with serious illnesses.

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HEINZ’s Open Kitchen Features Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Published November 16, 2023

HEINZ announces “Open Kitchen,” a new event series from the brand’s Black Kitchen Initiative. Kicking off in partnership with world-renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson, past and current Black Kitchen Initiative grantees will take over restaurant kitchens for exclusive pop-up experiences. Open Kitchen gives up-and-coming Black chefs new opportunities, experiences, resources, and exposure for their culinary businesses – one of the largest barriers to success in the American restaurant industry. The first takeovers will happen in New York and Atlanta.

Samuelsson – the creative and culinary force behind more than a dozen restaurants worldwide – will open two of his most iconic locations to past Black Kitchen Initiative grant recipients to kick off the program. Samuelsson will also collaborate with the chefs on exclusive dishes for each event.

On Dec. 6, Joy Crump and Beth Black will bring their signature Virginia flair to New York’s Red Rooster Harlem. Crump and Black own Foode + Mercantile in Fredericksburg, Va. The chefs celebrate Black culture through food, music, community and storytelling.
On Feb. 21, Samuelsson will open Marcus Bar & Grille in Atlanta to Lorraine “Mama” Smalls and Antwan “Cake Daddy” Smalls. The Smalls own My Three Sons in North Charleston, S.C., where they offer classic soul food with a regional Gullah flair that patrons regularly say is reminiscent of eating grandma’s homecooked meals.

“Opening a restaurant is tough business,” says Samuelsson. “From raising capital to getting people to know you are there, it’s an uphill battle, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with HEINZ on the new Open Kitchen series to provide resources and additional exposure to multiple Black Kitchen Initiative grantees. I can’t wait to see what these chefs cook up in my kitchens. The future is bright for each of them.”

The Open Kitchen series is the latest program coming out of the HEINZ Black Kitchen Initiative. Launched in 2020 in partnership with The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice (SRRJ), the HEINZ Black Kitchen Initiative aims to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Black food culture by helping to break down barriers that keep Black voices and cooking out of America’s culinary space.

“The Black Kitchen Initiative is a hallmark program for HEINZ as we recognize the critical way America’s Black-owned food businesses continuously shape the nation’s food culture,” says Lizzy Goodman, HEINZ brand communications manager. “All Black Kitchen Initiative programming strives to set up Black food business entrepreneurs for long-term success. A key priority for us is growing and evolving the initiatives – as we’ve done with the new Open Kitchen Series – to ensure we’re addressing current challenges Black food entrepreneurs are facing in the industry.”

In addition to Open Kitchen, over the last three years, the Black Kitchen Initiative has committed a total of $3 million dollars in grants and released two seasons of the award-winning Black Kitchen Podcast Series. After announcing the latest $1 million commitment in Black Kitchen Initiative grants in July, the newest grant recipients have been selected. The full list can be found at heinz.com/blackkitchen/2023.

Foodies and fans can purchase tickets to the Black Kitchen Initiative Open Kitchen event in New York on Dec. 6 by visiting https://bit.ly/OpenKitchenHarlem. For more information about the Open Kitchen series and the Black Kitchen Initiative visit @heinzbki, @leeinitiative and @srrj_coalition on Instagram.

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Liviri Gives E-Grocer Grant to Montana’s Madison Foods

Published November 16, 2023

Liviri has selected the recipient of its first e-grocer grant program: Madison Foods, a locally owned, independent grocery store located in Ennis, Mont. Liviri, the leading innovator in reusable packaging solutions, developed the grant program to award resources to an independent grocer to drive operational excellence and optimize supply chain management for the ever-evolving e-grocery sector.

Madison Foods is the only grocery store in the Madison County area, serving 1,000 year-round residents and more than 4,000 additional seasonal residents during the summer months. Customers spanning a 50-mile radius utilize the grocer’s curbside pickup and delivery options, as Madison Foods is the only delivery option in the vicinity. With an increased demand during the warm summer months, it is more important than ever for the store to keep perishable foods in a temperature-safe zone for long periods of time. Liviri’s reusable, insulated Sprint totes provide an ideal solution.

“We’re honored to present Madison Foods with a grant package valued at over $7,000 to help them increase their e-grocery operational efficiencies and save them time and resources,” said Liviri General Manager Ken Longval. “Madison Foods is passionate about doing everything they can to serve their community, and it is evident they are ready to take their operations to the next level.”

Madison Foods was selected as the 2023 Liviri Independent E-Grocer Grant recipient because it demonstrated a strong need to increase business operational efficiencies for both storing and delivering perishables. Currently, the grocer is utilizing a basic residential refrigerator to keep groceries cold, and outdated coolers to transport perishable foods. While the team at the single location store works hard to keep up with demand, these operational constraints decrease the volume of deliveries it is able to fulfill. Madison Foods was seeking a better system for storing perishable foods after orders were shopped, as well as a better system to keep the foods at the appropriate temperature during deliveries or when storing orders for long periods of time.

“Right now, we have to make multiple trips in order to keep groceries cold during transit, which is not cost-effective,” said Chris Gentry, owner of Madison Foods. “With Liviri’s Sprint totes and a better storage system, we’ll be able to store food for significantly longer times, allowing us to deliver to more of our customers in one trip without worrying about spoilage.”

Madison Foods will be awarded the following:

$5,000 cash (intended to help cover costs to build up tech platforms, freezers, fridges, and training)
Liviri Sprint⁵⁰ Insulated Totes
Sprint⁵⁰ Ice Packs and Dividers
2 Picking Carts

Liviri Sprint is a line of durable, reusable totes that helps grocers and produce shippers with staging and delivery. High-performance insulation provides flexible options for chilled storage, keeping contents in the safe temperature zone for 12+ hours and reducing the need for onsite and in-transit refrigeration. The products also help eliminate wasteful single-use packaging for a more sustainable last-mile solution.

Liviri is the leading innovator of reusable packaging solutions for thermal performance, operational efficiency and cost-effective scalability. Launched in 2019, and developed alongside leading nationwide shippers, Liviri’s startup strength stems from an Otter Products DNA rooted in protective case designs and thermal performance innovations. We offer the whole eGrocery package through a family of reusable, thermally protective totes and icepacks that provide durable, sustainable solutions to pick, pack, stage and deliver online grocery orders.

Madison Foods has been a locally owned, independent grocery store for 20 years in Ennis, Mont. It provides traditional brand-name items, natural and organic products, gluten-free selections, vegetarian products, bulk foods, and energy bars and drinks.

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