Stacy's Pita Chips and Stephanie Izard Join Forces to Shatter the Glass Ceiling for Female Culinary Leaders

PLANO, Texas, July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than a quarter of culinary leadership positions today are held by women¹. Stacy's Pita Chips wants that to change and today announced the Stacy's Rise Project to empower the next generation of women culinary leaders to pursue their dreams through scholarships, mentorship and thought leadership. The first year of the program will provide four $10,000 scholarships to women attending the Culinary Entrepreneurship program at the International Culinary Center (ICC) in New York City.

To announce the program, Stacy's has partnered with nationally acclaimed restaurateur Stephanie Izard to shine a spotlight on the work to be done supporting the future generation of female culinary leaders. As a James Beard award-winning chef with vast experience in building a successful culinary brand, Izard has broken down the industry's toughest barriers for women – and is committed to paying that experience forward. Scholarship recipients will also be mentored by Izard, receiving valuable advice for how to achieve success in the culinary industry.

"As a woman in the culinary industry, I am thrilled to partner with Stacy's to launch a program focused on giving women the support they need to pursue their passions and accomplish their dreams," Izard said. "Bringing awareness to the current situation and working toward a solution is an important starting point, and I look forward to helping Stacy's break down the barriers of the industry and support women as they enter culinary careers."

The Stacy's Rise Project celebrates its roots as a female-founded brand by entrepreneur Stacy Madison. Her namesake pita chips became a hit at her Boston sandwich cart and quickly grew into the household name that Stacy's Pita Chips is today.

"I started Stacy's out of a passion to make great food," Madison said. "I am honored to see the legacy of Stacy's continue, to have been the inspiration for the Stacy's Rise Project and look forward to seeing the women involved in the program have the same opportunity to access and achieve their dreams." 

In addition to financial support, Stacy's Rise Project will connect scholarship recipients with Izard for mentorship opportunities to drive success in the ICC's Culinary Entrepreneurship program and beyond. According to a recent study, mentorship has proved to be critical to success, with women in mentor programs garnering more promotions, higher salaries, and more career satisfaction overall². Izard will also join 2016 Culinary Entrepreneurship Program alumna and founder of KaRosie Cakes, Rosemarie McNish, for a panel discussion hosted at the International Culinary Center to advocate for women in the culinary field and share advice for navigating the industry as a female leader.

"Stacy's has proudly supported the advancement of women and the call for equality, most recently with our 'Stacy's Stands with You' campaign in March – and now with the Stacy's Rise Project," said Jennifer Saenz, chief marketing officer, Stacy's Pita Chips. "The Stacy's Rise Project is a natural next step in our commitment to women, and we are proud to partner with the ICC and Chef Stephanie Izard in this cause."

To learn more about how Stacy's Rise Project is starting the journey to shatter the glass ceiling for women in the culinary field, please visit stacyssnacks.com/riseproject. To apply for available scholarships, please visit http://www.internationalculinarycenter.com/admissions-and-financial-aid/scholarships/stacys-scholarship-female-culinary-leaders/.

About Stacy's Snacks
Stacy's Snacks is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $15 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

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Media Contact:
Kimberly Scott
(972) 334-5098
[email protected]

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Chefs and Head Cooks, Retrieved July 05, 2017 from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/chefs-and-head-cooks.htm.

² Development Dimensions International. Neil, S., Boatman, J., & Miller, L. (n.d.). Women as Mentors: Does She or Doesn't She?, Retrieved July 05, 2017, from http://www.ddiworld.com/ddi/media/trend-research/womenasmentors_rr_ddi.pdf?ext=.pdf. 

SOURCE Stacy's Snacks

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