Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, is proud to announce the release of its 2024 Annual Impact Report. The report highlights the nonprofit’s achievements, milestones, and the transformative work it has done over the past year in changing health outcomes of communities across the country. Click to read full article.
Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, is excited to announce the launch of a new webpage dedicated to its “Food is Medicine” initiative in partnership with UTHealth Houston. This new page highlights the nonprofit’s transformative work over the past several years, showcasing the powerful connection between healthy food and improved health outcomes. Click to read the full article.
SAN DIEGO, CA (February 18, 2025) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces merger with +BOX in a bold step toward advancing public health and nutrition.
Brighter Bites and +BOX will leverage its combined resources, expertise, and networks to accelerate its mission of improving health outcomes through increased access to nutritious foods and empowering communities with the knowledge to make healthier choices.
Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces the launch of its 12th location in Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As a press release stated, Brighter Bites will serve six schools within the Bensalem Township School District, which will directly impact close to 900 families and provide approximately 144,000 pounds of fresh produce to its participants. In addition to delivering fresh fruits and vegetables, the program will also include recipe demonstrations and in-class nutrition education lessons, equipping families and students with hands-on strategies to make the most of their produce and support a healthier lifestyle.
HOUSTON (December 4, 2024) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, partners with Bright Side Snacks, a new snack food company – offering delicious, cracker-like crisps made from upcycled fruits and vegetables – committed to reducing food waste and promoting healthier eating habits.
For every snack bag sold, we will donate a portion to Brighter Bites – supporting the nonprofit’s mission of creating communities of health through fresh food and nutrition education.
“We are so excited to launch this new brand and provide a healthier snack option for everyone to enjoy. It’s an approachable snack that can be a part of any diet,” said Lisa Helfman, co-founder of Bright Side Snacks and Brighter Bites. “Thirteen years ago, Brighter Bites started on the concept of providing healthier food options to families to improve their health, and Bright Side Snacks is an extension of just that – a healthy, on-the-go, delicious snack made with fresh fruits and vegetables!”
Bright Side Snacks are a new kind of fruit crisp cracker made simply with fruit and vegetable pulp. All flavors are made with only one or two ingredients: just pineapple, pineapple and beet, pineapple and kale, pineapple and cinnamon. Furthermore, the product offers a sustainable solution by utilizing pineapple pulp and other pulp that would otherwise be thrown out after the fruit or vegetable is juiced.
“Not only is it in the name, but Bright Side Snacks aligns beautifully with Brighter Bites and its goal to bring fresher, healthier options to consumers,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “We are thankful for the brand’s contribution to our mission and look forward to seeing them grow within the market.”
Bright Side Snacks are currently being sold online and at select H-E-B stores. If retailers are interested in learning more, please contact Lee Haverman at Lee@brightsidesnacks.com.
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About Brighter Bites:
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 65 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than one million individuals (including teachers) in Austin, Bakersfield, Dallas, Houston, Las Cruces, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, Salinas, San Antonio, Southwest Florida, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.
About Bright Side Snacks
Bright Side Snacks is a fresh and fun startup food company dedicated to making snacking healthier and more sustainable. Its flagship product, Bright Side Crisps, is crafted from upcycled fruit and vegetable pulp, turning juicing byproducts into delicious, crunchy snacks. With a focus on simplicity, each crisp is made with just one or two ingredients, providing a clean-label alternative to traditional snacks. Bright Side Snacks is committed to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable habits, partnering with Brighter Bites to support healthier communities through access to fresh food. To learn more, visit BrightSideSnacks.com.
Zespri and Gelson’s to Each Donate One Dollar to Brighter Bites For Each SunGold Kiwi Unit Purchased at Gelson’s.
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 31, 2024) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, partners with Zespri™ Kiwifruit and Gelson’s to host a two week, in-store promotion running from August 14 to 27. During this time, Zespri and Gelson’s will each donate $1 ($2 total) to the national nonprofit Brighter Bites for every one-pound package of Zespri SunGold Kiwi purchased.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Zespri Kiwifruit and Brighter Bites for the second year of this promotion,” said Sean Saenz, vice president of fresh foods for Gelson’s. “This initiative aligns with our commitment to offering high-quality products and supporting the health and well-being of our local communities.”
The promotion aims to support Brighter Bites’ mission of creating communities of health through fresh food. By purchasing Zespri SunGold Kiwi at any Gelson’s location, shoppers will not only enjoy the delicious and nutritious fruit but also contribute to a cause that provides fresh produce and nutrition education to children and their families.
“Zespri is proud to join Gelson’s in supporting Brighter Bites,” said Jeanne Wilson, head of marketing for Zespri North America. “Our SunGold Kiwifruit is not only a tasty and nutritious choice but also a means to make a positive impact on children’s health and nutrition.”
Last year, Brighter Bites, Zespri and Gelson’s came together for the same promotion and raised $2,500 to further the nonprofit’s dedication to provide reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and exposure to recipes that feature fresh food.
“This type of collaboration is a great example of how retailers and produce companies can come together to support an important mission of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to local communities,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “Our promotion together last year was a great success, and we look forward to continuing to work together to encourage healthier choices.”
We partnered with Lakeview Farms, a leading manufacturer of refrigerated desserts, dips, salsa, hummus and specialty products, to host “Peppers with a Purpose” at IDDBA’s 60th tradeshow to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofit’s mission. The event included a spinning wheel of different peppers ranging from mild to hot, which each participant had to spin the wheel and take a bite of the pepper selected. Additionally, the hotter the pepper, the more money that was raised for Brighter Bites, which totaled $25,000 at the end of the event. “To support Brighter Bites, we invited hundreds of individuals to our booth at the Houston IDDBA show, to join us in raising funds,” said Tom Davis, CEO of Lakeview Farms. “Fresh and healthy food is our world and raising $25,000 to put fresh food into the homes of people who need it most, is meaningful to us. We’re proud to partner with Brighter Bites!” Furthermore, Fresh Cravings, Rojo’s and La Mexicana Salsa – brands under the Lakeview Farms parent company – highlighted the “Salsabrate The Good” campaign, which shares the stories of like-minded organizations in communities served to make a positive impact together. Brighter Bites was featured in one of the videos, showcasing its mission to support under-resourced communities by providing fresh produce and nutrition education. Click HERE to view the video. “Partnerships like the one we’ve created with Lakeview Farms and their brands enables our work to come to life and get fresh food into the hands of children and families faster than if we were doing it alone,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the industry working together to better the eating habits and consumption of fresh food among consumers, and we are so grateful to be doing this work with Lakeview Farms.”
HOUSTON (June 4, 2024) – Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces partnership with GoodPop®, makers of better-for-you frozen pops and bubbly beverages.
Through this partnership, GoodPop will contribute to the nonprofit’s mission by making a financial donation, including a $40,000 matching of Brighter Bites’ summer Core Campaign. Additionally, GoodPop will participate in a volunteer day at one of the Austin summer program sites, contribute fresh watermelon from their own supply chain to diversify the nonprofit’s distribution bags, and execute a GoodPop product cause marketing strategy to raise awareness of Brighter Bites’ back-to-school campaign
“We are honored to have a partner like GoodPop to support our mission, especially during our summer programming months,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “Summer programming is crucial for the communities we serve in providing access to fresh produce when school is out. To have partner support during this time of the year is always welcomed and appreciated.”
Furthermore, Brighter Bites is also giving back to GoodPop’s cause by participating in Good Deeds Day, a global movement of people dedicated to doing good. Since 2007, millions of people and thousands of organizations from 110 countries have come together annually to volunteer and #DoGood. This Brighter Bites and GoodPop partnership is just the beginning of many connections with organizations across the country to provide people with an opportunity to do good and volunteer.
“At GoodPop, it is our mission to provide families with more wholesome, delicious treats made with real and simple ingredients while also doing good in the communities we serve, ” says Clara Tomlin, Director of Brand Impact at GoodPop. “GoodPop is proud to partner with Brighter Bites, uplifting two of our giving pillars: Supporting Equity and Inclusion and Ending Hunger in America. This partnership feels especially important to us as we always strive to bring joy to families during the summer through our products and mission.”
Brighter Bites recently participated in the Harvard Agribusiness Seminar as one of 12 case studies presented. Around 185 executives of food system-related firms from around the world attended to learn more about trends, challenges, demands and opportunities within the current food system.
“We are thankful to Harvard Business School faculty and business leaders who provided invaluable input to strengthen our business model and achieve greater impact,” said Shreela V Sharma, Brighter Bites co-founder.
As a case study participant, Brighter Bites was able to gather insight from various business professionals from around the world to help further its mission. Furthermore, attendees were educated and informed on Brighter Bites’ program and commitment to building communities of health nationwide.
Rich Dachman talks Wine 🍎 🍊 🍇 Check out these timely yard signs!