Big League Chew Becomes Official Bubblegum of USA Baseball
USA Baseball and USA Baseball Sports Properties within LEARFIELD have partnered with Big League Chew, baseball’s favorite bubble gum, to become an official partner of the organization as the Official Bubble Gum of USA Baseball.
Rooted in baseball culture for over four decades, Big League Chew has been a staple for generations of players and fans of America’s pastime. The partnership unites one of America’s most beloved and iconic bubble gum brands with the nation’s premier amateur baseball organization.
“USA Baseball looks forward to teaming up with Big League Chew on and off the diamond,” said USA Baseball COO David Perkins. “Big League Chew has become an iconic part of the game of baseball, and we are excited about this new relationship that will help to elevate the two brands in the amateur baseball realm.”
Big League Chew and USA Baseball are excited to team up in various capacities, such as USA Baseball branding being featured on every pack of Big League Chew, product placement in dugouts during USA Baseball events, and collaborative social media content showcasing how the country’s top young talent has fun with the gum as they chase their big league dreams. Additionally, Big League Chew will provide product to participants at USA Baseball events and to USA Baseball national team athletes annually.
“Joining forces with a prestigious organization like USA Baseball to help promote amateur baseball across the country is something Big League Chew and I can get behind completely,” said Rob Nelson, founder of Big League Chew.
“The momentum for the Big League Chew brand is accelerating rapidly, and our new partnership with USA Baseball will only help us round the bases faster. We are excited to work with the amazing USA Baseball team in 2024 and beyond.” said CEO of Ford Gum Scott Lerner.
USA Baseball Sports Properties within LEARFIELD is dedicated to representing USA Baseball by developing and managing sponsor relationships with brands looking to align with USA Baseball and its events and programming.
Sitting in a bullpen in Oregon in the summer of 1977, Portland Maverick lefthander Nelson came up with an idea that has had a lasting impact on the game of baseball: shredded bubble gum in a stay-fresh pouch. Since hitting the shelves in 1980, Big League Chew has produced and sold more than one billion pouches and is designated as the “Hall of Fame Bubble Gum” by the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.
Big League Chew is made in the USA by Ford Gum, a top manufacturer and co-manufacturer of assorted gums, confections, and health-related products for leading American brands.
USA Baseball is the national governing body for baseball in the United States and is committed to serving, protecting, and supporting the game of baseball and its 15.6 million participants. Founded in 1978, USA Baseball fields six national teams annually and is a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
On the diamond, USA Baseball is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and its national teams have won 67 gold medals in international competition. Off the field, the organization is dedicated to the proliferation and health of the sport through the creation and management of numerous development initiatives including BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education), Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL and the Prospect Development Pipeline.
For more news of interest to the candy industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Sports Figures Added to Yerbaé Advisory Board
Yerbaé Brands Corp., a plant-based energy beverage company, has named six sports luminaries and leaders to its new Yerbaé Advisory Board, Sports and Entertainment. In an advisory capacity, Board members will provide guidance and support to fuel Yerbaé’s rapid growth and introduce Yerbaé to new groups of consumers, focusing their input primarily on Yerbaé’s strategic decisions, brand positioning, marketing campaigns and product innovation.
Introducing the Yerbaé Advisory Board, Sports and Entertainment:
- Richmond Flowers III – Founder of QB Collective and Collective Sports Advisors, former NFL player and coach, and chair of the Yerbaé Advisory Board, Sports and Entertainment
- Kyle Shanahan – Head coach, San Francisco 49ers
- Annie Thorisdottir – Professional CrossFit champion and two-time “Fittest Woman in the World”
- Lincoln Riley – Head coach, University of Southern California, USC Trojans
- Ejiro Evero – Defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers
- Ben Johnson – Offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
“Yerbaé supports champions with plant-based energy, whether in sports, entertainment or everyday pursuits. Our new advisory board members know what it takes to excel,” said Todd Gibson, co-founder, chief executive officer and chair of the board of Yerbaé. “We are drawing on their expertise to inspire our fast-growing Yerbaé community to greater achievement and wellbeing.”
“I’m really particular about what I would even consider endorsing. So the fact that I’m not only joining the advisory board at Yerbaé, but an actual investor in the company, should tell you how unique I think this product is,” said Shanahan. “The taste, the ingredients, the fact I don’t feel like crap after drinking it — this is the best caffeinated beverage I’ve ever tried and it’s not really close.”
“I’m excited to be joining the board at Yerbaé because I finally now have a caffeinated product that doesn’t negatively affect my body,” said Riley. “Everything about Yerbaé is exactly on point – healthy, effective and enjoyable. There’s simply nothing else like it.”
“My whole job revolves around recognizing the perfect fit — in football and beyond,” said Flowers. “Not only do I love how Yerbaé tastes, it’s uniquely suited to the daily lives of both coaches and players. They have demanding jobs that require them to be at their best every day, mentally and physically. Yerbaé helps them achieve those goals with healthy energy to keep going all day. And if it’s good enough to help athletes to achieve peak performance, imagine what it can do for everyone else.”
Yerbaé’s Q2 earnings results show a 122 percent year-over-year gain in net revenues along with other indicators of strong, positive market momentum, including expanded partnerships with key distributors and retailers. Yerbaé has disclosed the successful close of two tranches of its Celebrity Investment Round announced Aug. 21.
Harnessing the power of nature, Yerbaé’s key ingredient (yerba mate, a South American herb) is known to produce 196 different vitamins, minerals and nutrients as well as caffeine.
By combining yerba mate with its premium ingredients and flavors, Yerbaé provides consumers with a no compromise energy solution. All Yerbaé energy beverages are zero calorie, zero sugar, non-GMO, and gluten free.
For more news of interest to the food and beverage industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
DoorDash, ALDI Expand Service to Include Alcohol
DoorDash, the local commerce platform, and ALDI, the grocery price leader for six years running, have expanded their partnership, announcing that consumers can now order on-demand alcohol delivery from more than 1,200 ALDI locations across 21 states on DoorDash. With the addition of ALDI, one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, nearly 80% of DoorDash consumers can now access alcohol through safe, age-verified delivery.
“In addition to giving merchants a new way to reach customers, on-demand alcohol delivery helps partners grow their business. On DoorDash, adding alcohol may increase grocers’ average order value by up to 30%. Order values for U.S. convenience orders were on average over 50 percent higher when alcohol was added,” said Fuad Hannon, vice president of new verticals at DoorDash. “We’ve worked hard to build a trusted alcohol ordering and delivery experience. The expansion of our partnership with ALDI reinforces our commitment to provide growth opportunities for local merchants, while simultaneously providing a safe, high-quality experience for customers.”
This expansion comes just a few months after DoorDash and ALDI first announced their partnership to bring on-demand grocery delivery to nearly all ALDI locations nationwide. Now, consumers can conveniently shop the private-label selection of top-quality, award-winning wine, beer, hard seltzers and ciders, along with all their grocery needs, at the affordable prices they expect from ALDI. On-demand orders can be placed from local ALDI stores via the DoorDash Marketplace app or website.
“ALDI offers an everyday selection of private-label adult beverages and rotates in limited, seasonal flavors so there’s something for everyone,” said Scott Patton, VP of national buying, ALDI. “Earlier this month we also launched a new, premium ‘Specially Selected’ wine collection, with most bottles costing under $10. With the expansion of our DoorDash partnership, more consumers can now sip their favorite ALDI products at the prices they love, delivered straight to their door.”
Earlier this year, DoorDash released its inaugural Alcohol Online Ordering Trends Report, a deep dive into the changing landscape of consumer online ordering preferences and emerging dining and drinking trends. The report found that delivery was the preferred way for consumers to safely purchase alcohol with more than 100 percent year-over-year growth for alcohol pickup and delivery on DoorDash from 2021 to 2022. Comfort, convenience, and time-savings are the top reasons consumers say they enjoy using alcohol and delivery services.
Since launching alcohol in 2020, DoorDash has built an impressive alcohol catalog including more than 100,000 SKUs available for purchase across thousands of grocers and restaurants nationwide. U.S. customers across 32 states can access a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, whether it’s to-go drinks from a favorite local restaurant or celebratory champagne from a nearby local store.
DoorDash is deeply committed to delivering alcohol safely and in compliance with local laws and regulations, and has enacted best-in-class safety protocols, including advanced two-step ID verification, alcohol-specific safety compliance modules and a streamlined returns flow for Dashers, and a voluntary self-exclusion or opt-out register for consumers who don’t want alcohol delivered on the platform or in marketing. The company will continue to develop and launch innovative safety features so alcohol deliveries can be responsibly facilitated through the DoorDash platform.
For more news of interest to the grocery industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
