Vitamix Supports "Healthy Cleveland" Initiative to Improve Children's Health; Donates Blending Equipment to Cleveland Recreation Centers for New Summer Smoothie Program

CLEVELAND, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitamix, a leading manufacturer of high-performance blending equipment, is supporting a new program aimed at improving the health of Cleveland children through good nutrition.

The program is being spearheaded by Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, chosen by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson to lead "Healthy Cleveland," a comprehensive initiative to improve the health and fitness of city residents. Councilman Cimperman worked with Vitamix and several other public and private organizations, including Dave's Supermarkets and The Cleveland Foodbank, to establish a program to provide healthy smoothies to children at 10 City of Cleveland Recreation Centers this summer.

The smoothies are being added to the Recreation Centers' existing free lunch program and will ensure children receive regular servings of fruits and vegetables. Produce now makes up half of the U.S.D.A. Food Plate which advises consumers on the amount of each food group to eat for good health. The Food Plate replaced the traditional food pyramid last year.

Having smoothies as part of the regular lunch menu helps kids get in the habit of eating more fruits and vegetables, and also gives them a chance to taste how delicious healthy whole foods can be.

"You normally wouldn't think kids would go nuts over dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, but when they're blended up in a smoothie with other healthy ingredients like pineapple and banana, kids absolutely love them," said Jodi Berg, president and CEO of Vitamix, who also happens to have two young children of her own. "We want kids to know that you don't have to choose between something that's good for you and something that tastes great – you can have both."

Berg is the great granddaughter of the founder of Vitamix, a 91-year-old, fourth-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Olmsted Township. Vitamix designs and manufactures high-performance blending equipment for the food service industry, as well as for home chefs who want restaurant-quality results when they cook at home. Vitamix blenders are sold in more than 80 countries around the world.

In addition to donating blending equipment for the smoothie program, Vitamix is also providing the consulting services of its registered dietician. Vitamix has helped several area schools establish smoothie programs and, as part of that support, has created several nutritionally rich recipes specifically tailored to children's palates. Vitamix is providing those recipes and will modify them as needed throughout the duration of the program based on seasonally available produce. Vitamix also provided training in how to operate its equipment to the volunteers who prepare the smoothies each day.

In addition to the 10 City of Cleveland Recreation Centers, the summer smoothie program is also being implemented at Merrick House, a neighborhood center in Tremont that provides services to surrounding communities.

About Vitamix®
Vita-Mix® Corporation, privately owned and operated by the Barnard family since 1921, manufactures and markets superior blending and mixing products directly to the public and the restaurant/hospitality industry.  Vitamix is recognized as a leader in innovation in the direct marketing industry, having created the infomercial genre in the late 1940s and developed the first true commercial blender in the early 1990s.  Leading consumer magazines rank Vitamix as the highest quality consumer blender. The company's commercial customer list reads like a "Who's Who" of major restaurant chains, and gourmet chefs worldwide say their Vitamix machines are more important to them than their knives.  Nestled in the valley of picturesque Olmsted Township, Ohio, the company employs more than 500 people, has a global presence in more than 80 countries and continues to win awards for product innovation.  For more information, visit www.vitamix.com.

SOURCE Vitamix