Alerting all cycling enthusiasts and salad bar lovers! The 5th annual Tour de Fresh is underway and we know we say it every year, but this year really is going to be the best year yet. Why? With an additional day of riding, new and improved sponsorship opportunities AND an exciting new Finish Line Festival showcasing fresh produce brands to the public, there’s so many reasons to get onboard and support this amazing event and cause.
Exciting Changes for the Tour de Fresh
What is Tour de Fresh?
This event makes a huge difference not only in our industry, but for children across the country. The Tour de Fresh is a first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a four-day cycling ride that raises funds to benefit the Salad Bars to Schools campaign. Since 2014, the Tour de Fresh has raised almost $600,000 and placed almost 200 salad bars in schools across the country.
Why salad bars?
Because they work. Both academic research and actual experience in schools demonstrate that school children significantly increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables when given a variety of choices in a school salad bar. Plus, the benefit extends beyond the healthy foods – Children learn to make decisions that carry over outside of school, providing a platform for a lifetime of healthy snack and meal choices.
What’s New for the 2018 Event?
In 2018 we’re headed back to the West Coast for a ride route we can’t wait for! Beginning in the stunning mountain ski resort of Kirkwood, CA near South Lake Tahoe on July 22th and ending in Monterey, CA on July 26th, you can show up to PMA’s Foodservice Conference with almost 200 miles under your belt, and the satisfaction of donating a salad bar and impacting hundreds of students every day.
Taking rider and sponsor feedback into account, the Tour de Fresh team made a few noteworthy changes to 5th annual ride. The event has been expanded from 3 days to 4 days for 2018, and rather than hosting a party the evening following the Finish Line Ceremony, the finish line will turn into a “festival atmosphere” and partying will commence as soon as the ride concludes! Sponsorship opportunities include the chance to host a 10×10 booth at the finish line to feature your products. The event will be promoted to the industry, local media and local community at large.
If you’re an avid cycler, you’ll be excited to hear that Olympic medalist Axel Merckx is returning alongside Reed McCalvin, soigneur for Hagens Berman Axeon cycling team, who will serve as Tour de Fresh’s official trainer. Axel and Reed will ride alongside Tour de Fresh riders and offer encouragement and tips throughout the 4 days.
What are the 2018 Sponsorship Opportunities?
With over 50 sponsorships, ranging from $500 to $10,000, you can get involved in a variety of ways. One of the most popular ways to get involved if you have a cycling enthusiast in your office is to have your company sponsor them to ride in the event for $2,000. Each rider will be responsible for fundraising $3,500 to fund one salad bar. New in 2018 is the Finish Line Festival sponsorship, which includes the opportunity to feature a 10×10 booth at the Finish Line which will be heavily promoted to the media and local community for $3,500. There are several other sponsorship options, including sponsored dinners and swag and product donation opportunities. Fill out this form to receive the sponsorship details.
If you’re ready to get involved or want to learn more about the Tour de Fresh and 2018 sponsorships, email tourdefresh@calgiant.com. You can also follow the Tour de Fresh on social media to track this year’s progress!
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