Tour de Fresh opens 2018 sponsorships

Tour de Fresh is gearing up for its fifth season with a goal of donating 50 or more salad bars to U.S. schools in 2018.

The cycling event, presented by the California Giant Foundation, has opened its sponsorships, which provide participating companies with year-round marketing opportunities, media exposure and other benefits based on sponsorship level, according to a news release.

“This year is a huge milestone for us as we celebrate five years of successfully providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables for thousands of students across the country,” Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for Watsonville-based California Giant Berry Farms, said in the release. 

“We’ve seen how impactful it can be when companies and individuals within the industry come together with a common purpose. I’m confident that this year will be our most successful yet, as we’ve been able to grow every year since the event’s inception.”

Tour de Fresh 2018 is a four-day ride starting July 22 at the Kirkwood Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe in California, and ending July 26 in Monterey, Calif., before the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference, according to the release.

Tour de Fresh supports the United Fresh Start Foundation’s Salad Bars to schools program. In its first four years, the event helped to place more than 180 salad bars in U.S. schools.

“We’re proud to be a premier sponsor for another year with Tour de Fresh. The event aligns directly with our values at Mission Produce to work as a community to support education, nutrition and local outreach,” said Robb Bertels, vice president of marketing for Mission Produce, Oxnard, Calif., in the release.