UNITED STATES - It is down to mere hours—less than two in fact—until the inaugural Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge reaches the end of its countdown. The big reveal takes place today at 12:00 p.m. PST/2:00 p.m. CST. So, if your calendar reminder is not set, please do so as we tune in to produce veterans marking a milestone on the path they have paved for us all.

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I will not call this a finish line. As Craig Slate, President and CEO of SunFed, pointed out it is far from that.

“This is not a finish line, but the end of the first leg in a journey for each of these amazing produce members to a new healthy lifestyle, packed with fresh produce!” Craig shared.

For months, we have been privy to the journey of fellow produce members Tommy Wilkins, Grow Farms Texas; Ed Bertaud, IFCO; Jed Murray, Tenaza Organics; and Michelle Cortez, Empacadora GAB – Mr. Lucky, as they have strived to set an example for walking the walk of our industry’s purpose. While it is certainly a goal each of them can be proud to have attained, they carry, too, an achievement in leaping a bar set before we first reported the event in November of last year.

“This competition was a tough decision for the Viva Fresh committee because, frankly, we didn’t know if others in the industry would support the effort,” Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), remarked when I asked him about marking the end of the event. “But then our participants rocked this competition, and the support from the industry has been overwhelming. I cannot tell you the number of people that have reached out about wanting to do something similar on their own. This is so exciting because it goes beyond the ‘message’ that fruits and vegetables are healthy. Instead, it shows people’s actual results—not from celebrities, but from industry peers—in seven short months of eating the things we sell. It shows that nearly anybody can be a healthier version of themselves, to see and feel that dramatic difference. That difference, as a result of eating better, was what we set out to highlight as part of our mission with Viva Fresh.”

As Dante further discussed the important precedent this challenge set, he pointed out that, while we have heard since childhood that fruits and vegetables are good for us, this country is plagued by health issues as a result of poor diets.

Melinda Goodman of FullTilt Marketing complemented this, sharing what it has meant to see some of our own share their journey in rectifying that issue.

“It’s been inspiring to work with the Clean Eating Challenge participants over the last few weeks and document all of their final statistics. It’s exciting to see their progress not just in weight loss, but in health outcomes and goals for the future. These individuals are examples of what’s possible when we commit to healthier living. Everyone should tune in to hear their individual stories, and I think you will be motivated to make moves of your own to follow in their footsteps on a better path to health and well-being,” Melinda commented.

The culmination happens today at 2:00 p.m. CST, 12:00 p.m. PST. Click here to register so you can watch and support these trailblazers take what we do to the next level from your very own desk.

Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge Reveal