NEW ZEALAND AND US - This year’s Tour de Fresh exceeded everyone’s expectations, raising just over $180,000—a record-breaking amount for the event. Riders from across the industry were propelled by a desire to promote healthy lifestyles, but they got an even bigger boost in the race with T&G Global’s JAZZ™ apples to snack on. For its third-straight year, the distributor sponsored the four-day event to contribute to the goal of increasing the amount of salad bars in schools where students may have limited access to fresh produce.

“The Tour de Fresh brings together industry-wide riders, who may be the fiercest of business competitors, but all that gets set aside when we get on our bikes,” said 2018 Tour de Fresh alum Chris Willett, General Manager of EnzaFruit Products, T&G’s Wenatchee, Washington-based arm. “I was proud to ride in it and hope to return in the future. T&G was pleased to support Tour de Fresh as a premier sponsor again this year.”

The distributor supplied ample amounts of its JAZZ apples to hungry cyclists ready for a nutritious and tasty pick-me-up. The JAZZ brand—sold domestically by Oppy, CMI Orchards, and Rainier Fruit—is a natural fit for active and adventurous lifestyles across all demographics. The Tour de Fresh event and its cause are the perfect platform to spread the word about tangy-sweet, crunchy JAZZ apples. The variety is heathy, flavorful, and convenient, making it a great snack for everyone from high-performing cyclists to 10-year-olds looking for a treat.

The rest of the industry sees the potential of the JAZZ brand, and many were eager to express their support and excitement for the popular apple variety. Kelly Ansaldo, Project Developer at Coldwell Solar of Fresno, donned a JAZZ jersey for the first time at Tour de Fresh, proudly displaying the apple that would soon fill cyclist’s bellies.

“As riders, we train weekly in hopes of raising awareness that more kids need access to fresh produce and to get moving with exercise,” she said in a press release. “The salad bars we ride for are for every student. You do not have to be high or low income, and you do not have to qualify. You simply walk up and sample what your heart desires.”

Tour de Fresh has generated more than $750,000 since 2014, delivering salad bars to more than 5,000 schools and three-million students. The event and its JAZZ partner are dedicated to spreading the message of the importance of nutrition and childhood wellness—a message that can resonate with the rest of the industry.

“I was ‘jazzed’ to ride in the Tour de Fresh because it combines my passion for the agriculture industry, cycling, and healthy eating,” Ansaldo commented. “As a child, I never knew the importance of a healthy meal; lunch could be cookies or a candy bar. I’m proud to have ridden for JAZZ, and I will continue coming back, as long as there are schools in need of salad bars.”

Washington JAZZ apples are currently available, with good volume projected to ship through May, with organic shipping through April.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more news on the charitable side of the industry.

T&G Global