Centerplate Teams with Farm Aid, John Mellencamp to Showcase Family Farmers at The Super Bowl

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, the largest hospitality partner to North America's premier sports stadiums, convention centers, and entertainment venues, is proud to announce a ground breaking partnership with Farm Aid, and one of its founders, Indiana legend John Mellencamp, that will make Indianapolis' Super Bowl XLVI the first ever to offer HOMEGROWN chili, sourced from sustainable family farms. To make Super Bowl XLVI a true Heartland experience, three separate dishes will feature ingredients from local Indiana farmers. The HOMEGROWN menu will also include a vegetarian chili that will be the first organic concession dish ever served at the Super Bowl.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/CL45414)

Inside Lucas Oil Stadium, HOMEGROWN signage will proudly recognize individual Indiana farmers by name on Super Bowl Sunday, putting the farmers, and their products, squarely on sports' biggest stage. For every bowl of HOMEGROWN chili sold, Centerplate will also make a $2 donation to Farm Aid. And to raise awareness for this initiative, Farm Aid Board Member and founder John Mellencamp has signed on to help promote the HOMEGROWN Super Bowl initiative.

"Farm Aid knows family farmers. Our mission is to make sure you do, too," said Farm Aid co-founder John Mellencamp. "Farm Aid is introducing football fans to family farmers by serving HOMEGROWN Chili at the Super Bowl. It's good food from family farms, including some from right here in Indiana."

Centerplate will proudly serve the HOMEGROWN menu in both the general concessions areas and suites at Lucas Oil Stadium. The menu includes:

• Red Beef Chili – featuring hormone and antibiotic free beef from regional organic beef producers and Patty Reding of Langeland Farms, Greensburg, Indiana.
• Green Pork Chili – featuring hormone and antibiotic free pork from Stanley and Evan Hall of Hall Farms, Paoli, Indiana.
• Organic Vegetarian White Chili – featuring organic beans from the Fields of Agape Cooperative, Carthage, Indiana. The onions, celery, garlic, carrots, peppers and oil are also all organic. The vegetarian chili will be the first organic concession dish ever served at the Super Bowl, made from ingredients that are certified USDA organic.

The HOMEGROWN menu for Super Bowl XLVI comes as part of Centerplate's continuing commitment to buying local products in all of its 250 venues nation-wide. Centerplate and Farm Aid will continue to explore offering HOMEGROWN menu items in other stadiums.

"We're proud to stand side by side with Farm Aid, local family farmers and Indiana icon John Mellencamp, in their mission to create thriving family farms. And we're thrilled they're working with us to create a true Heartland Experience for fans," says Centerplate's CMO, Bob Pascal. "With this HOMEGROWN program, Centerplate is raising the bar for local partnership and, with the first ever organic dish at the Super Bowl, we're setting a new standard for healthy and organic hospitality."

About Centerplate
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 12 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. The company was recently named the fastest growing hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com.

About Farm Aid
Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America that ensures farmers a fair living, strengthens our communities, protects our natural resources and delivers good food for all. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to help farmers thrive and to promote good food from family farms. HOMEGROWN Concessions® brings the experience of tasting good food from family farms into events and venues. Learn more at www.farmaid.org/homegrownchili.

SOURCE Centerplate