Facebook Sweepstakes for a Cause: Foster Farms Fans 'Say NO to Plumping, Say Yes to Free Groceries'

LIVINGSTON, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- As government and medical experts around the country continue to focus on the health consequences of sodium in the American diet,(1) Foster Farms today launches a tiered Facebook sweepstakes to raise widespread awareness of "plumping"—or the practice of injecting fresh chicken with saltwater. The new "Say NO to Plumping, Say Yes to Free Groceries" sweepstakes will reward one lucky winner with a year's supply of free groceries (a $5,000 value) and five other fans with cash prizes for spreading the word about plumping. The sweepstakes is designed to encourage consumer action toward making sure that only truly natural, never plumped chicken is labeled "natural." As the cause's fan base grows, the value of the sweepstakes prizes will increase.

To enter the sweepstakes, consumers become fans of the Say No to Plumping Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saynotoplumping), then enter their email addresses. The sweepstakes takes place in two stages. In the first stage, Foster Farms will randomly select three fans to receive prizes of $1,000, $500 and $250 once the Facebook page receives a total of 50,000 fans. The prizes will increase once the Facebook page reaches 100,000 fans in total during the second stage of the sweepstakes, with one lucky person winning a year's supply of groceries (a $5,000 value) and two others receiving prizes of $2,000 and $1,000. The contest is open to all residents of California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii or Alaska who are at least 18 years of age. The complete rules are available via the Facebook application.

"Our recent survey proved that consumers care about sodium in their diets and they feel deceived when they learn they could be purchasing chicken that's been plumped but still carries the 'natural' label," said Ira Brill, Director of Marketing and Advertising for Foster Farms. "This sweepstakes rewards fans with prizes, of course, but it also helps them alert friends and family to the practice of plumping and shows them what to look for when shopping for fresh chicken."

Foster Farms partnered with Involver – a social media marketing platform recognized for its work with The White House's Commission on Remembrance and Facebook Sports – to extend the Say No to Plumping campaign on Facebook. Foster Farms is one of the few companies creating new social marketing best practices by pioneering trends like fan-gating and running a tiered sweepstakes. Fan-gating offers incentives to consumers for joining Facebook organizations and groups and a tiered sweepstakes creates incentive for fans to engage their friends around a campaign.

In the past year, the Foster Farms' Say No to Plumping consumer awareness campaign has helped to generate more than 50,000 petition signatures from consumers who want the USDA to reserve the term "natural" for foods free of saltwater, additives or preservatives. Foster Farms' new sodium survey results show that the majority of consumers are highly conscious of sodium intake and are increasingly skeptical of so-called "natural" and "healthy" labels, and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) recently held a press conference to call for the USDA to take a closer look at labeling regulations that permit "plumped" chicken products to carry the "natural" label.

About Say No to Plumping

Foster Farms launched Say No to Plumping in 2009 to promote the brand's longtime commitment to truly natural fresh chicken. Unlike its competitors, since its 1939 founding, Foster Farms has never injected its fresh chicken labeled 100% Natural with sodium, saltwater or any other preservative. For more information, visit www.saynotoplumping.com.

About Foster Farms

Since 1939, West Coast families have depended on Foster Farms for premium quality chicken and turkey products. Family-owned and operated, the company continues its legacy of excellence and commitment to quality established by its founders, Max and Verda Foster. Foster Farms specializes in fresh, all natural chicken and turkey products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers. Based in California's Central Valley, with ranches also in the Pacific Northwest, the company's fresh chicken and turkey are produced in or near each region served. Foster Farms also produces delicious pre-marinated, ready-to-cook and fully cooked products that meet the quality and convenience needs of today's home cooks, retailers, warehouse clubs and foodservice customers. The company's commitment to excellence, honesty, quality, service, and people is a source of great pride, and, a longtime family tradition.

(1) CDC www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100624.htm

SOURCE Foster Farms