Kraft Foods Huddles With Feeding America to Give 20 Million Meals to Families in Need

NORTHFIELD, Ill., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- This fall, Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) will embark on its largest branded initiative ever to fight hunger in America.  Today the company kicked off Huddle to Fight Hunger, an integrated marketing campaign designed to achieve an important goal: give 20 million meals or more to Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger relief organization.  The campaign will culminate in San Francisco on January 9, 2011, with the first-ever Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl featuring college football teams from the WAC and PAC-10.

The program combines three things Americans are passionate about – football, food and helping others.  To reach the end zone, Kraft Foods has huddled together its power brands and high-profile celebrities including football legend Joe Montana, sports journalist Erin Andrews and chefs Pat and Gina Neely to champion the cause. The company also coordinated a variety of marketing support vehicles, such as consumer incentives, high-impact media like cinema, newspaper and magazine ads, a major public relations campaign, as well as social and mobile activities.  In addition, Kraft Foods is working with over 40 food retailers throughout the country to implement unique in-store displays and programming.

"As a leading food company, it's our responsibility and privilege to play a role in helping make sure people have access to the food they need to feed their families," said Lisa Mann, Vice President of Consumer Experiences, Kraft Foods.  "By leveraging our flagship brands, a team of celebrities and a national bowl game, we hope America will embrace the cause and help us reach our goal of giving 20 million meals."

Hunger In America

Hunger remains a serious issue in the United States. In fact, 49.1 (1) million Americans, or one in six of our neighbors, don't always know where their next meal will come from.  Leading the fight against hunger is Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief agency.  Through its network of more than 200 food banks and 61,000 agency partners, Feeding America provides meals to more than 37 million Americans annually.

"We thank our longtime partners at Kraft Foods for launching the Huddle to Fight Hunger program, which will make an important impact in our fight against domestic hunger," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America. "The goal of donating 20 million meals is exemplary of Kraft Foods' ongoing commitment to supporting Feeding America's mission to end hunger in America."

Fighting hunger is not new for Kraft Foods.  As the nation's largest food company, it has partnered with Feeding America for decades to support their important mission.  Kraft Foods will also serve as the premiere partner for Feeding America's Hunger Action Month, which will kick off in September to raise awareness about hunger in America.

Get in the Game

Americans can help Kraft Foods meet and exceed their donation goal by visiting www.HuddleToFightHunger.com to learn about all the ways they can get in the game.  For each person that joins the "Huddle" on the site, Kraft Foods will donate one meal donation to his or her local Feeding America food bank.

The company is providing additional meals to Feeding America in honor of Americans that redeem Huddle to Fight Hunger coupons that will be available online and in newspapers nationwide on Aug. 22 and Sept. 26, 2010.  For every coupon redeemed, Kraft Foods will donate one additional meal to Feeding America.

Kraft Foods' Deep Bench

The huddle includes some of Kraft Foods' power brands, such as Planters nuts, Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, Kool-Aid beverages, Oscar Mayer meats, Maxwell House coffee and Kraft cheese products. These brands will support the Huddle to Fight Hunger program throughout the season and some brands have even cooked up their own game plans to donate additional meals to Feeding America, above and beyond Kraft Foods' 20 million meal goal.

Ritz and Oreo will feature special football shaped crackers and cookies this fall and each brand will give up to 500,000 meals to Feeding America. During September and October, various Kraft cheese products will carry on-pack stickers offering an opportunity to give five meals to Feeding America. In addition, Oscar Mayer, Kool-Aid, Maxwell House, Planters and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese will be offering special coupons and incentives throughout the fall to join the fight.

To join the Huddle to Fight Hunger effort visit www.HuddleToFightHunger.com today.

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods is taking a stand when it comes to fighting hunger and promoting healthy lifestyles. The company and the Kraft Foods Foundation have donated nearly $1 billion in cash and food to organizations since 1990. Most recently, the company reinforced its commitment by donating $180 million over a three-year period to community involvement activities around the globe.

Kraft Foods is building a global snacks powerhouse and an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love.  With annual revenues of approximately $48 billion, the company is the world's second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in approximately 170 countries.  The portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion – Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats.  Approximately 70 brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million.  Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

(1) U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual study measuring food security

SOURCE Kraft Foods