GENYOUth AND TASTE OF THE NFL INCREASE ACCESS TO 146 MILLION SCHOOL MEALS, FOSTERING NUTRITION SECURITY AMONG U.S. STUDENTS

Support from Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation Catalyzes Super Bowl LIX's Largest Philanthropic Event for GENYOUth's Mission to Tackle Youth Hunger

Nutrition Grant Opportunity Opens for U.S. Schools

NEW YORK, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GENYOUth, the national non-profit founded by America's dairy farmers and the NFL to help ensure school children thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives, announced that its 2025 Taste of the NFL event and related initiatives will generate a combined impact of $2.2 million. This funding will support approximately 1,000 schools and 540,000 students, increasing access to 146 million school meals to foster nutrition security among students in all 32 NFL club markets. As a result, GENYOUth is inviting school nutrition professionals to apply for Nutrition Grants at educator.fuelup.org/opportunities through April 8, 2025.

Taste of the NFL, held at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans on February 8, 2025, with the support of presenting sponsors Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation, featured world-class chefs Andrew Zimmern, Carla Hall, Tim Love, Lasheeda Perry, and Mark Bucher. The event included over 30 nationally renowned and locally loved New Orleans chefs, including members of the PepsiCo Foundation's Restaurant Accelerator program in partnership with the National Urban League. In addition, there were over 30 NFL Legends, players, and sports personalities in attendance including James "JB" Brown, Demario Davis, Coach Tony Dungy, Doug Flutie, Mark "Mighty Mouse" McMillian, Kyle Rudolph, Stephen Tulloch, Charles Woodson, and Vita Vea, among others.

"As the only source of nutrition for millions of students on some days, school meals are a lifeline for the health and well-being of our youth. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our Taste of the NFL sponsors, our End Student Hunger partners, and the many others who have joined our founding partners, America's Dairy Farmers and the NFL, in this mission, the collective impact of this event will allow GENYOUth to provide grants to 1,000 school nutrition programs nationwide," said Ann Marie Krautheim, M.A., R.D., L.D., CEO of GENYOUth. "We are deeply grateful for this support and inspired by the commitment of so many to tackling food insecurity. Together, we are ensuring that more students have the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and thrive."

"We are thrilled to have partnered with the team at GENYOUth for this year's Taste of the NFL event, which helped raise $2.2 million to increase access to school meals for thousands of children across the country," said Peter O'Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President of Club Business, International & League Events. "The NFL is grateful for the support of many of our sponsors and partners for making this annual Super Bowl event a force for good, ensuring that our nation's youth have access to the nutrition they need to lead active and healthy lives."

Taste of the NFL is made possible through the outstanding commitment of presenting sponsors Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation; NFL sponsors Doritos^®, Lay's^®, Pepsi Zero Sugar^®, Tostitos^®, Gallo, and Tide^®; GENYOUth End Student Hunger partners Undeniably Dairy, Better With Dairy, Walmart, Tyson Foods, Hellmann's^®, HORMEL^® Original Pepperoni, Totino's^™ Pizza Rolls^™, Oikos® Greek Yogurt, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Fresh From Florida program, Cox's Seafood, Green Giant, Cintas Corporation, 4Sisters Rice, Louisiana Seafood, Dunamis Premium Spirits, Lifeway Kefir, Charles Woodson's Intercept Wines, Hook's Cheese Company, FARE, FEED, The Times Picayune/NOLA.com, FOX 8, Yelp, iHeartMedia, and New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee.

The collective impact of Taste of the NFL includes additional GENYOUth initiatives that help tackle student food insecurity. In the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX, community initiative Super School Meals increased access to and participation in school meals by providing Grab and Go school meal equipment packages to over 59 Louisiana schools.

"PepsiCo's longstanding partnership with GENYOUth has had a profound impact on addressing student hunger, especially for those most in need," said C.D. Glin, President of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact at PepsiCo. "Through events such as Taste of the NFL and programs like Super School Meals, our partnership with GENYOUth has demonstrated the power of collaboration to ensure that all children have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. By working together, we have seen firsthand how this partnership has made a tangible difference in the lives of children across the country." 

Super School Meals was made possible through a collaboration with NOLA Public Schools, Dairy Max, and the New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee; with the support of corporate sponsors Amazon Access, Domino's Smart Slice, Entergy, Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation; and with additional support from Impact 59 (Super Bowl LIX Legacy Program), and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

On April 23, 2025, the first-ever Taste of the Draft, a fundraising event inspired by and modeled after Taste of the NFL, will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin on the evening before the 2025 NFL Draft. Planning is already underway for Taste of the NFL 2026 in San Francisco, with customized sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Kelianne Johnson, GENYOUth Director of Marketing & Development, at [email protected] for sponsorship details.

About GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 national nonprofit dedicated to helping school children thrive by living a well-nourished and physically active life. A catalyst for youth health and wellness, GENYOUth has supported over 77,000 U.S. schools to equip them with the resources needed to ensure millions of children have equitable access to nutrition and physical activity. Founded by America's dairy farmers and the NFL, GENYOUth convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. With a commitment to end student hunger, GENYOUth provides nutrition grants to increase access to healthy school meals among food insecure students. GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience that raises awareness and generates funds to fight hunger and food insecurity to support the organization's commitment to end student hunger. To learn more and support GENYOUth visit www.GENYOUthnow.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About the National Football League
The National Football League is America's most popular sports league, comprised of 32 franchises that compete each year to win the Super Bowl, the world's biggest annual sporting event. Founded in 1920, the NFL developed the model for the successful modern sports league, including national and international distribution, extensive revenue sharing, competitive excellence, and strong franchises across the country.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. 

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo. 

About the PepsiCo Foundation
The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water, and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to effect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsicofoundation.com. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE GENYOUth