Chiquita Brands International has announced in a press release a new partnership with HealthCorps – a proactive health movement founded by Dr Mehmet Oz, as part of the company’s commitment to enhancing public health and offering healthy food and snacking options.
The partnership includes a financial and resource commitment by Chiquita to HealthCorps and the sponsorship of at least four segments on The Dr Oz Show – the nationally syndicated talk show featuring Dr Oz. The first sponsored episode airs on 31 March.
“For Chiquita, this partnership with Dr Oz and HealthCorps is a natural extension of our promotion of healthy lifestyles and helping to reduce childhood obesity,” said Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer of Chiquita.
“We are helping empower parents to tackle this obesity epidemic with convenient healthy products for their children. Our natural bananas have always been an ideal and nutritious snacking option, and now our pineapple, apple-grape and carrot bites provide additional healthy snacking choices that kids crave.”
The four television episodes will demonstrate how simple lifestyle choices can help Americans stay healthy and avoid chronic diseases associated with obesity.
Over the course of four months, viewers will follow the progress of six students from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn who are determined to embrace healthier eating and physical activity regimens.
“I’m grateful for Chiquita’s support in helping us reach kids and teens to show them how small positive changes in their diets can make a huge difference in their physical and emotional health,” added Dr Oz, founder and chairman of HealthCorps.
“Teens need to learn about healthy eating at a young age so that they can create proper eating habits to last a lifetime. Chiquita has developed some really fantastic healthy snacking products that make that possible.”
Backed by Chiquita, HealthCorps will also intensify work on its three priorities – educating the student body; achieving community outreach through “FitTown” (an initiative designed to connect and empower citizens and organizations in order to bring about awareness and change through local initiatives); and advocating policy shifts across all levels of government that put health and physical education back into the core curriculum of the US education system.
Chiquita’s healthy snacking platform currently comprises Pineapple Bites, Apple Bites, Apple & Grape Bites, as well as Carrot Bites provide consumers further choices.
