Welch's and Zagat Launch First-Ever Guide on Where and How to Eat Local & Seasonal

CONCORD, Mass., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- According to data just released from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 1,000 farmers markets have opened in the past year, a 17 percent increase from 2010(1). At the same time, farm-to-table restaurants continue to crop up in cities nationwide, further demonstrating Americans' interest in seasonal eating. In celebration of the Concord grape harvest season, which occurs for just a few short weeks each Fall, Welch's has teamed up with Zagat -- the world's original provider of user-generated restaurant content -- to launch a free guide which will include Zagat's signature ratings and reviews of 196 of the nation's most notable farm-to-table restaurants. Welch's "Taste the Harvest Guide: Where and How to Eat Fresh, Local and Seasonal," was released this weekend at the 2011 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE.

"At the 'heart' of Welch's annual harvest season is the delicious Concord grape, which is picked at its peak and pressed into juice within eight hours of harvesting, so families can enjoy the perfectly ripe flavor all year," said Joseph Falcone, Chairman, Welch Foods Inc., President of the National Grape Cooperative Association, and one of 1,150 Welch's family-farmer owners. "This guide celebrates harvest eating and will help American families eat seasonally, both at their kitchen tables and at restaurant tables."

The guide, available for download on welchs.com/zagat, includes:

• Zagat Ratings & Reviews for restaurants in 16 US markets recognized for their farm-to-table practices;
• A selection of farmers markets across the country;
• A "What Produce is in Season When" list;
• Tips for incorporating heart-healthy, seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet;
• Exclusive seasonal recipes authored by Registered Dietitians;
• Profile of a Welch's family-farmer owner, who plants, cares for, and harvests Welch's Concord grapes

About the Concord Grape

• The fall harvest season is a great time to incorporate seasonal produce to boost the color, flavor and heart-healthfulness of meals. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans(2), it's important to make half your plate colorful fruits and vegetables for a healthy lifestyle. As a complement to whole fruit, 100% grape juice is a great way to meet daily fruit goals. Every  4-oz. glass of Welch's 100% Grape Juice is made with more than 20 Concord grapes and counts as one serving (1/2 cup) of fruit.
• Whole Concord grapes – skins, seeds and all – are pressed to release natural plant nutrients, or polyphenols, into every glass. In fact, many of the polyphenols in Concord grapes are the same as those found in red wine. To add to that, research suggests that thanks to the Concord grape, Welch's 100% Grape Juice helps support a healthy heart.

Visit welchs.com/zagat to download the guide and for heart-healthy recipes using Welch's 100% Grape Juice made with Concord grapes.  To discover the science behind the Concord grape's benefits, including heart health, visit The Grape Science Center at grapescience.com(3).

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE ran September 29 – October 2 and 100% of the proceeds benefit the hunger relief organizations Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®.  More information about the Festival can be found at www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com.  

About Welch's

Headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts, Welch's is the processing and marketing subsidiary of the National Grape Cooperative. Welch's is owned by 1,150 family-farmers across America and in Ontario, Canada, who make up this cooperative and who grow the delicious and inherently healthy Concord grape, used in Welch's juices and other grape-based products. Welch's is committed to research and development that will meet the growing demand for products that address consumers' health and nutrition needs. Welch's products are sold throughout the United States and in approximately 50 countries around the globe. For more information on Welch's, visit welchs.com and grapescience.com.

About Zagat Survey, LLC

Known as the "burgundy bible," Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for consumer-generated survey information. With a worldwide network of surveyors, Zagat rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment categories and is lauded as the "most up-to-date," "comprehensive" and "reliable" guide, published on all platforms. Zagat content is available to consumers wherever and whenever they need it: on ZAGAT.com, ZAGAT.mobi, ZAGAT TO GO for smartphones and in book form.

(1) 2011 National Farmers Market Directory by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2011/08/0338.xml&contentidonly=true.

(2) 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), available at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm.

(3) Please see grapescience.com for relevant references.

Media Contact Information:
Alyson Campbell, Porter Novelli
(212) 601-8060
[email protected]

SOURCE Welch's Foods Inc.