"FRUITSIDE ASSISTANCE™" LAUNCHED BY WELCH'S® FRUIT SNACKS WILL TAKE ON DREADED 'ARE WE THERE YET?' DURING HOLIDAY TRAVELS

FREE FruitSide Assistance™ kits with road trip essentials for travelers on the busiest travel day of the year

PARK RIDGE, N.J.  , Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As families across the country gear up for the hustle and bustle of holiday travel, Welch's® Fruit Snacks is excited to announce the launch of FruitSide™ Assistance, a delightful initiative designed to make road trips smoother, sweeter, and more enjoyable. While the holiday season is the happiest time of the year, according to a recent survey, six in ten respondents* said that travel is the most stressful part, especially with kids.

During the busy upcoming travel season, when highways are jam packed, and cars are bumper to bumper, parents know delays, boredom, and tired kids can turn holiday magic into a test of endurance. Welch's® FruitSide Assistance™ was created with these families in mind. 83% of parents said the key to successful holiday travel with their kids is a robust roster of snacks. On the busiest travel day of the year, November 26, travelers will be treated by Welch's Fruit Snacks to a FREE FruitSide Assistance™ kit including everything needed to handle kids' on-road travel mishaps: coloring activities and games, a cozy blanket, a phone charger, and a fruit-shaped squishy toy, among other such essentials – and, of course, some of America's Favorite Fruit Snacks, Welch's® Fruit Snacks.

Welch's® FruitSide Assistance™ will be available for a limited time, on I-95 between New York City and Boston, the 5 Freeway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Interstate 55 between Chicago and St. Louis.

Travelers in these areas needing assistance should follow Welch's® Fruit Snacks' social media accounts on November 26th for the precise meeting point locations.

Welch's® Fruit Snacks also uncovered the following findings when it comes to holiday travel with little ones this year:

• Three and a half hours into holiday travel with their kids is when "peak stress" hits parents. Parents report being most stressed just over three and a half hours into their trip — but 12% said their stress peaks in the first hour.
• Where is this stress coming from? Parents said that keeping their kids entertained is the most demanding aspect of holiday vacation (64%). Following that, dealing with temper tantrums (46%), trying to find bathrooms (43%) and hearing "are we there yet?" from the backseat (40%) were all found to be the top stressors for parents.
• Planning ahead is key and part of this planning is to ensure kids do not get hungry during the trip. Eighty-three percent of respondents said the key to a successful holiday with your kids is a robust roster of snacks. 78% of parents said they use snacks to prevent temper tantrums — stopping those stress-inducing meltdowns from occurring.
• What should you look out for when picking out these crucial snacks? According to parents, individual packaging is the most important thing to look out for (63%). Snacks that are easily transportable (60%), not messy (59%) and do not need to be refrigerated (59%) are also key.

"We know Welch's® Fruit Snacks are a trusted go-to travel snack for many parents because they are a better for you choice that's delicious, portable, and mess free. With the launch of Welch's® FruitSide Assistance™, we wanted to play into this customer insight by bringing a little sweetness and convenience to holiday road trips with kids," said Jason Levine, Chief Marketing Officer at PIM Brands, the makers of Welch's® Fruit Snacks. "We know travel can be unpredictable, so our new campaign is here to help families stay happy along the way. It is our way of spreading joy, making the journey as enjoyable as the destination."

So, the next time you hear "are we there yet?" from the back seat, you can smile knowing that Welch's® Fruit Snacks has you covered, making the journey just as sweet as the destination.

For more information, please visit https://welchsfruitsnacks.com/.

Survey Methodology*
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 parents of children aged 5–12 who have traveled for the holidays with their child in the last year; the survey was commissioned by Welch's Fruit Snacks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Nov. 6 and Nov. 12, 2024.

ABOUT PIM BRANDS INC.: 
PIM Brands, Inc. is the world's largest maker of Real Fruit Snacks and related treats and is also one of the world's largest makers of chocolate and non-chocolate confections. Currently ranked as #26 on Candy Industry Magazine's "Global Top 100" confectionery companies in the world and #10 in North America by Candy Industry Magazine, PIM Brands, Inc. is also ranked by Crain's Business as one of the New York Metro Area's 100 largest privately owned companies, and by NJBIZ as one of the State's largest privately held employers.      

PIM Brands, Inc. has also been named as one of the fastest-growing Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies in the U.S.A. by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) six times in the last decade.     

Millions of times each day all across the world, consumers enjoy PIM's vast array of loved brands including Welch's® Fruit Snacks, Welch's® Juicefuls® Juicy Fruit Snacks, Welch's® Fruit 'n Yogurt™ Snacks, Welch's® Fruit Rolls, Welch's® ZERO SUGAR Fruity Bites, Welch's® Absolute Fruitfuls™ Fruit Strips, Sun-Maid® Chocolate Raisins, Toggi® Fine European Chocolate Wafers, Tuxedos® Chocolate Almonds, Original Gummi FunMix®, Sour Jacks® Sour Candies, Slice™ Fruit On the-Go™ Fruit Bars, Nuclear SQWorms® Sour Gummi Worms and many more.     

PIM's subsidiaries and affiliates include PIM Brands LLC, PIM Brands Canada, PIM Brands Mexico S DE RL DE CV, PIM Brands Iberica, SL, PIM Brands UK, Ltd, PIM Brands Hindustani Private Limited, PIM Global Holdings LLC, PIM Consumer Health LLC, Pharma In Motion LLC and Farmer's Choice Food Brands.  

ABOUT WELCH'S:
Founded more than 150 years ago and headquartered in Massachusetts, Welch's is an iconic and leading fruit-based food, beverage, and agricultural cooperative owned by 650 family farms across the United States. Our purpose of nourishing through the goodness of fruit is at the core of everything we do and unites our growers and employees in our quest to be the best. We are on a mission to sustainably deliver flavorful moments to consumers everywhere with our delicious real fruit juices, refreshingly sweet sparking juices, and family-favorite fruit spreads, jams, and jellies.

Media Contact: 
Alison Brod Marketing & Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE PIM Brands, Inc.