Wilmington, Del. - Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has named Stemilt Growers, Inc., of Wenatchee, Wash., the first company to attain PBH’s Non-Retail Role Model honors for its support of their Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® health initiative. The formal announcement of Stemilt’s role model status will be made at PBH’s Board of Trustees meeting on April 3 in Monterey, Calif.

Stemilt Growers, Inc. is a family-owned tree fruit grower-packer-shipper. The company is the nation’s leading Washington-grown sweet-cherry shipper and also ships Washington-grown apples and Northwest pears. In 1914, the Mathison family began planting cherry, apple and pear orchards in the fertile soils of Stemilt Hill, overlooking the Columbia River and the town of Wenatchee, Wash. Today, Stemilt is still solely owned by the Mathison family.

“Stemilt Growers has been a long term supporter of PBH and has exhibited a true commitment to the Fruits and Veggies—More Matters public health initiative,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH. “We appreciate the efforts made by all of our non-retail donors to spread the word that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is important. Stemilt has exhibited role model attributes by going above and beyond in their support of Fruits and Veggies—More Matters and PBH. The company has played a significant role in distributing Fruits and Veggies—More Matters brand messaging by integrating Fruits & Veggies—More Matters into community outreach activities like their cherry promotion with Sesame Street’s Elmo and the Crunch before Lunch promotion, and their efforts are thoroughly appreciated.”

Some of the activities that led to Stemilt achieving role model status include:
·         using the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo on their AppleSweets products
·         providing point-of-sale materials that feature the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo
·         adding a link to PBH’s consumer website, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org, from their own company website
·         including Fruits & Veggies—More Matters messaging in their Stemilt Insider newsletter and Nutrition Roundup newsletter
·         including Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo in their trade publication advertising
·         integrate Fruits & Veggies—More Matters messaging into community outreach activities

·         participating in PBH sponsorships

“Stemilt is proud to be the very first non-retailer to receive PBH’s role model designation,” said Roger Pepperl, Marketing Director for Stemilt Growers. “Stemilt is a proud supporter of PBH and Fruits & Veggies—More Matters. Like PBH, our company believes that including more fruits and vegetables at every meal is key to living a longer, healthier life. Here at Stemilt, eating more fruits and vegetables is not just a message we use, it’s part of our corporate culture. We are committed to spreading the Fruits and Veggies—More Matters message. I hope other growers, shippers and processors step up their Fruits & Veggies—More Matters promotion efforts and become role models as well.”

Growers, shippers, and processors can earn PBH Non-Retail Role Model honors for helping to realize the power the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters health initiative has to influence consumption, and boost bottom lines in the process. For more information, view our criteria for being a grower/shipper/processor role model or contact PBH Licensing & Partnership Manager Kathleen Ruf.

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Note to editors: for a print or web quality image of the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo, contact Jill LeBrasseur at jlebrasseur@pbhfoundation.org.
About Produce for Better Health Foundation
Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) consumer education foundation whose purpose is to motivate more people to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve public health. PBH is a member and co-chair of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA), consisting of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and industry working to collaboratively and synergistically achieve increased nationwide access and demand for all forms off fruits and vegetables for improved public health.  This vision of the NFVA is a nation in which half of the foods Americans eat are fruits and vegetables.  Fruits & Veggies—More Matters is the nation’s largest public-private, fruit and vegetable nutrition education initiative with Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators in each state, territory and the military.
PBH’s mission is to lead people to eat more fruits and vegetables because it matters for their better health. The foundation achieves success though industry and government collaboration, and a variety of marketing and nutrition education programs. To learn more, visit www.pbhfoundation.org and www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.   
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers, Inc. is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the nation’s leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. For more information, visit www.stemilt.com.