La Costena Partners with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Champions Royler Gracie and Leonardo Xavier to Knock Out Hunger

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• Latin America - español

HOUSTON. Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, La Costena, the LX Jiu-Jitsu Association, and Royler Gracie joined forces to donate a truckload of La Costena products to the Houston Food Bank.  The special donation ceremony prefaced the LX Jiu-Jitsu Association's Fifth Annual Gathering on Nov. 7 when the Association convenes to celebrate the sport. All attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to bolster the donation.

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La Costena, manufacturer of the number-one selling jalapeno in the U.S., has a long tradition of supplying product to food banks. The company's sales force heard about the food drive and was inspired to donate the truck load, or 36,219 pounds, of non-perishable food to the Houston Food Bank.

"We are proud to support this food donation to help our community," said Jessica Gonzalez, La Costena, brand manager. "Hunger can bring the most powerful fighter to their knees, so we're especially concerned with families who struggle to find their next meal."

Leonardo Xavier, Gracie Black Belt and founder of the LX Jiu-Jitsu Association jumped at the chance to connect his students and La Costena with giving.

"We are excited that La Costena supported our food drive by donating their products to add to what our Association donates," said Xavier. "Food donation is a noble cause, and I'm happy to share this endeavor with my teacher and friend, Royler Gracie."

Royler Gracie, son of the co-founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Helio Gracie, will be the special guest at the Association's event. An estimated 150 students will travel from as far as Philadelphia to learn from sought after martial arts instructors Gracie and Xavier.

"It's always great to see your student succeed," said Gracie. "It's even better to see them help others, so I'm glad I can join Leonardo's work to benefit his local community."

In today's economic climate, the Houston Food Bank and its member agencies are working harder than ever to provide as much food as possible to hungry people.  

The Houston Food Bank is the largest source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. A network of more than 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 65 million pounds of food and prepared meals annually.  

About La Costena

La Costena is a Mexican company with more than 85 years of experience manufacturing, distributing and marketing high-quality canned foods worldwide. La Costena products preserve the flavor of the traditional Mexican cuisine, making them the preferred choice of millions of consumers who daily enjoy the delicious variety of products including peppers, salsas, beans, mole, mayonnaise, tender cactus and other products essential for creating your favorite meals.  

SOURCE La Costena