SEG Seeks Nonprofits for Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grants
Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is now accepting applications from nonprofits throughout the Southeast for its 2023 Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant. The grant supports organizations that work to address racial disparities in health care, food insecurity and education, while building a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Nonprofit organizations with missions to elevate underserved communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi are encouraged to apply at www.seggives.com/grantapp through Sept. 30 to be considered for a Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.
Raymond Rhee, chief people officer of Southeastern Grocers, said, “We know our communities are only as strong as their people, and Ms. Romay serves as a constant inspiration for our diligent work as we grow our commitment to celebrating differences and amplifying the voices of individuals of all backgrounds. Her service to her customers, community and country encourages us to use our resources to combat social injustices and bridge the gap of inequities faced by many marginalized groups in our communities. We invite organizations who share our vision to apply for the grant opportunities to further their missions as they lift up our neighbors in need.”
Last year, SEG presented a total of $300,000 to 30 deserving organizations through the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant. The program provides recipients – such as Start the Adventure in Reading in New Orleans and Schoolyard Roots in Tuscaloosa, Ala. – with vital funds to fuel their impactful work within the five states the grocer serves.
- STAIR believes second grade is a critical turning point in a child’s educational development and utilized its funding from the grant to serve 189 elementary-aged students. The grant allowed STAIR to provide more than 2,000 hours of tutoring and place nearly 2,500 high-quality, engaging books in the hands of young readers.
- Schoolyard Roots brings garden education to diverse elementary school students who face economic and nutritional uncertainty, empowering healthy living and academic success. The organization cultivates curiosity and connections through hands-on learning gardens and engages its communities through food and nature to inspire, delight and bring classroom concepts to life.
SEG’s Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant has provided more than $685,000 in funding to deserving community organizations since its inception in 2020. The grant program reaffirms SEG’s steadfast commitment to racial equity and social justice by offering qualified nonprofits opportunities to receive financial support to help level the playing field for individuals of all backgrounds.
The Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant is named for the trailblazing 103-year-old Winn-Dixie associate Romay Davis, whose dedication to inclusivity and unwavering commitment to diversity and empowerment inspired the grant program aimed at elevating underserved and underrepresented communities. In an era marked by restricted rights for women and people of color, Davis consistently shattered glass ceilings by challenging society’s limited beliefs with her unfathomable accomplishments. Davis is a World War II U.S. Army veteran, NYU multi-degree scholar, New York fashion designer and model, Taekwondo Black Belt and community advocate. At 80 years old, Davis started her career with Winn-Dixie in Montgomery, Alabama., to stay active and engaged; she continues to motivate others through her story and enduring dedication.
In 2022, The National WWII Museum in New Orleans recognized Davis for her contributions as a veteran of the U.S. Army 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, and presented her with the Silver Service Medallion for her exemplary military service and exceptional leadership. The 6888th was the only all-Black Women Army Corps unit deployed overseas during World War II, and was assigned the momentous and critical task to clear more than two years’ worth of backlogged mail. Davis’ unit was given six months to sort 18 million pieces of mail, which they completed in three months. By restoring the timely flow of mail between the front lines and the Home Front, Davis and the women of the 6888th significantly raised the morale that sustained troops through the final months of the war.
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Impossible Launches ‘Making Meat History’ Ads
Impossible Foods is gearing up for summer with the launch of two new national advertising campaigns designed to introduce consumers across the country to the plant-based meat category as well as Impossible’s brand and products.
Premiering June 11 during the 76th Annual Tony Awards broadcast, Impossible’s “Making Meat History” campaign is a rollicking 90-second musical advertisement. It explores the history of meat through the ages and up to the present day, when the musical’s “historian” narrator introduces meat from a new animal called “the plant.” Impossible created the ad to familiarize consumers with the concept of plant-based meat and its benefits in a lighthearted, entertaining and memorable way.
The second campaign, “The Summer of Impossible,” serves to stake the company’s claim as a maker of meat for meat-lovers that just happens to be made from plants. It highlights the many benefits of Impossible products through a series of shorter, product-focused vignettes featuring quippy dialogues between an Impossible™ Burger and a burger made with animal meat. Impossible will continue to introduce new vignettes throughout the summer to keep the campaign fresh and entice consumers to put Impossible on their shopping list all season long.
“We need to welcome consumers into the plant-based space and give them a reason to choose Impossible,” said Leslie Sims, Chief Marketing & Creative Officer of Impossible Foods. “These campaigns are lighthearted and approachable by design to make the choice between our products and animal meat feel less intimidating. We want consumers to know they don’t have to give up the meat they love. Impossible products are meat – just made from plants – so they’re still delicious and have a ton of other benefits.”
Both campaigns were developed in partnership with SUPER SERIOUS, the newly established creative studio led by celebrated actor and television host Terry Crews and his co-founders Matthew O’Rourke and Paul Sutton. The studio, which embodies the mantra “everything is entertainment,” has adopted an agile and iterative approach to creative development and plans to produce work for television, feature films, commercials and everything in between. SUPER SERIOUS immediately saw Impossible Foods as the right client to launch its business, as the founding trio shares a genuine affinity for Impossible’s purpose and products.
And to direct the musical spot, SUPER SERIOUS signed on the acclaimed Emmy-winning film and music video director, Jake Scott.
The summer marketing effort adopts a more inclusive and accessible tone for the brand, seeking to transcend vegan and vegetarian audiences to reach as many flexitarian and meat-eating consumers as possible. Impossible Foods has not historically invested in sustained traditional advertising, instead leaning on high-profile partnerships, earned media and word-of-mouth to increase brand awareness. Now, under the new leadership of Sims, the company is ramping up its marketing engine to drive trial and invite new consumers to make this summer “The Summer of Impossible.”
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San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition Winners Announced
After an extensive judging of quality California-produced olive oils, The Big Fresno Fair is excited to reveal the winners of the 8th Annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition. This competition, which is open to all olive oil producers in California with products made from their 2022 olive harvest, received a total of 63 entries from 27 olive oil producers from throughout the state.
Entries were received in two categories: Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Flavored Olive Oil, with 10 classes in total. Gold and Silver Medals were awarded, as well as an overall “Best of Show” and “Best of the Valley” selected from all of the highest scoring gold medal entries in both categories. In total there weres44 EVOO and 19 Flavored Olive Oil entries that were entered for judging. The winners of the 8th Annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition are as follows with counties of ranch locations noted in parenthesis:
Best of Show
Olivaia’s OLA Estate Sevillano (Tulare) – EVOO
Corto Olive Co. Yuzu Citrus (San Joaquin) – Flavored Olive Oil
Best of the Valley
- Marchini Farms Joe’s Premium 100% Mission (Merced)
Extra Virgin Olive Oils
- Gold Medal Winners
- Spanish Blends: Corto Olive Co. Truly (San Joaquin), J. Marchini Farms Joe’s Premium 100% Mission (Merced), Cobram Estate Olive Oil 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Robust (Yolo/Sacramento), California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend (Glenn)
- Spanish Singles: Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Arbequina (Monterey), Olivaia’s OLA Estate Sevillano (Tulare), Grumpy Goats Farm Organic Picual (Yolo), The Olive Press Picual (Sonoma)
- Italian Blends: San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Eleganza (San Luis Obispo), San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Paradiso (San Luis Obispo)
- Italian Singles: Rio Bravo Ranch Coratina (Kern), Rio Bravo Ranch Frantoio (Kern), Tres Osos Olive Oil Taggiasca (Monterey), Grumpy Goats Farm Organic Coratina (Yolo), Grumpy Goats Farm Organic Late Harvest Coratina (Yolo), Grumpy Goats Farm Organic Itrana (Yolo), Sutter Buttes Olive Oil Co. Coratina (Sutter)
- Gold Medal Winners
- Other Blends: OH Olive Oil (Kern), Olivaia’s OLA Block X Heirloom (Tulare), Rio Bravo Ranch Miller’s Reserve Blend (Kern)
- Other Singles: Coastal Press Extra Virgin (Madera/Tulare)
- Silver Medal Winners:
- Spanish Blends: Olivaia’s OLA Block X Super (Tulare), Cobram Estate 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Classic (Yolo/Sacramento) Cobram Estate Olive Oil 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil – CA Select (Yolo/Sacramento)
- Spanish Singles: Rio Bravo Ranch Picual (Kern), Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (San Joaquin), Grumpy Goats Farm Organic Hojiblanca (Yolo), California Olive Ranch Reserve Arbequina (Glenn), California Olive Ranch Reserve Arbosana (Glenn)
- Italian Blends: San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Fantastico (San Luis Obispo), Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Estate Olive Oil (Monterey), J. Marchini Farms Joe’s Premium Tuscan Blend (Merced), Terra Savia Field Blend (Mendocino), Colomba Bianca Frantoio/Mission (San Joaquin)
- Italian Singles: Terra Savia Moraiolo (Mendocino)
Flavored Olive Oils
- Gold Medal Winners
- Citrus: Corto Olive Co. Yuzu Citrus (San Joaquin), Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Lavish Lime (San Joaquin), Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Blood Orange (San Joaquin)
- Pepper: Corto Olive Co. Calabrian Chili (San Joaquin), The Olive Press Jalapeno (Sonoma)
- Other: Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Arbequina-Smoked (Monterey), Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Jalapeno Garlic (San Joaquin), Sutter Buttes Olive Oil Co. Citrus Habanero Olive Oil (Sutter)
- Silver Medal Winners
- Citrus: Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Arbequina-Lemon (Monterey), The Olive Press Citron (Sonoma), Coastal Press Lemon Olive Oil (Madera/Tulare), Sutter Buttes Olive Oil Co. Meyer Lemon Olive Oil (Sutter)
- Herbal: Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Bountiful Basil (San Joaquin), Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Rustic Rosemary (San Joaquin), Coastal Press Basil Olive Oil (Madera/Tulare)
- Pepper: Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Hot Virgin Jalapeno (San Joaquin)
- Other: Coldani Olive Ranch Calivirgin Guilty Garlic (San Joaquin), Sutter Buttes Olive Oil Co. Garlic Herb Olive Oil (Sutter)
All winners will be on display in the Agriculture Building with educational information on the art of making olive oil and its health benefits. Gold Medal, Best of Show and Best of the Valley winners will have the opportunity to have a booth in the Agriculture Building on one day during a weekend at the 2023 Big Fresno Fair.
Participants in the 2023 SJVOOC were evaluated and scored on the following criteria:
- Gold Medal: Awarded to an olive oil that demonstrated its type and/or varietal character, balance, structure and complexities to the highest standards. Gold Medals were awarded to those oils receiving scores between 86 – 100 points.
- Silver Medal: Awarded to an olive oil reflecting the correct distribution of balance and character of its type or variety; an oil deemed to be well crafted and of excellent quality. Silver Medals were awarded to those oils receiving scores between 76 – 85 points.
- Best of Show: Awarded to an olive oil recognized to possess special characteristics of the highest quality overall.
- Best of the Valley: Awarded to the oil that scored the highest with the ranch or office located in the San Joaquin Valley. Medals were awarded for both EVOO and flavored oils. (Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties eligible)
Details and the 2024 SJVOOC entry application will be posted in February 2024.
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