ECLIPSE FOODS PARTNERS WITH SMASHBURGER® TO OFFER PLANT-BASED SHAKES NATIONWIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A FAST-CASUAL RESTAURANT CHAIN

The Leading Plant-Based Brand's Milkshakes Mark the First Non-Dairy Shake Offering for the Better Burger Restaurant

OAKLAND, Calif., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eclipse Foods, the leader in plant-based dairy products that are indistinguishable from conventional dairy, announced today its partnership with Smashburger®, a leading fast-casual better burger restaurant, to create the industry's first nationally available plant-based milkshakes. The milkshakes are now available for purchase in all Smashburger® locations nationwide (for $6.19, price may vary based on location) in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Peanut Butter, Tangerine Dream and Oreo. Customers can also order the milkshakes for take-out or delivery on Smashburger.com or on Smashburger's mobile app, and for delivery on DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats, and GrubHub.

"We are so proud to partner with Smashburger® to introduce the first ever plant-based shakes at a national fast-casual chain," said Aylon Steinhart, Co-founder and CEO of Eclipse. "This partnership marks an incredible milestone in advancing the plant-based movement and signals Smashburger's® confidence in Eclipse as the plant-based dairy brand that mainstream consumers will crave. Our shakes perfectly mimic the delicious taste and texture of traditional dairy milkshakes, and require no flavor sacrifice from consumers. And now that the shakes are available nationwide, even more people will have access to exceptionally delicious plant-based options that are better for the planet, animals, and people."

To create its first dairy-free menu item, Smashburger's® corporate chef, Ty Goerke, worked closely with Eclipse's Co-founder and James Beard nominated chef, Thomas Bowman. After months of testing, both teams were confident they had created a world-class offering all customers would love, no matter their diet.

"As part of Smashburger's aggressive approach to menu innovation and catering to our guest's evolving tastes, we have continued to diversify our product portfolio with the launch of new plant-based milkshake offerings," states Carl Bachmann, President of Smashburger. "As part of our commitment and passion to deliver high caliber products with quality ingredients, we knew Eclipse was the best partner for us to develop the brand's first dairy-free menu offerings. This felt like a natural next step in Smashburger's journey to offer more diverse and plant-based options for our guests, while still delivering the premium, top-quality menu items that Smash fans know and love."

Eclipse was co-founded in 2019 by Steinhart and Bowman with the mission to create a more sustainable, healthy, and ethical food system. Since then, Eclipse has scaled faster and more efficiently than competitors in the space in order to make this mission of fighting climate change, animal suffering, and the human health crisis a reality.

Eclipse Foods is the leader in plant-based dairy products that are indistinguishable from conventional dairy. In 2019, Co-founders Aylon Steinhart and Thomas Bowman launched Eclipse with a mission to create plant-based dairy products that require no sacrifice on taste, texture or functionality for the consumer. The two partnered to create Eclipse's proprietary dairy platform, which replicates micelles (the magic of dairy milk) from plants to create the world's first  plant-based dairy products that taste and function just like dairy. Eclipse's plant-based platform is free from all top allergens such as gluten, soy, coconut, nuts, free from gums and stabilizers, and is non-GMO. Eclipse ice cream is available for retail in pint flavors including Cookie Butter, Caramel Butter Pecan, Dark Side of the Spoon (chocolate peanut butter), Mango Passion Fruit, Vintage Vanilla, and Mint Chip. In the last year alone, Eclipse has grown its retail presence by 2100% with select Whole Foods Markets, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Central Market, Nuggets, Harmon's, and other regional retailers stocking its pints in addition to direct-to-consumer retailers like GoPuff, Good Eggs, Gorillas, and more. To learn more about Eclipse and stay informed about the brand's latest news, innovations, and more, please visit eclipsefoods.com and follow along on social at @eclipsefoods.

Smashburger® is a leading fast-casual better burger restaurant known for its Certified Angus Beef® burgers that are smashed on the grill to sear in the juices and seal in the flavor. In addition to burgers, Smashburger® offers grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, turkey and black bean burgers, fresh salads, signature side items such as Brussels sprouts and SmashFries®, and hand-spun shakes. Founded in 2007 in Denver, Colorado, Smashburger is a recognized Stevie American Business Award winner with 236 corporate and franchise restaurants operating in 36 states and eight countries. To learn more, visit www.smashburger.com. 

Media Contact: Power Digital, [email protected]

SOURCE Eclipse Foods