BAKERSFIELD, CA - If you had a chance to read our exclusive Snack feature with Susan Noritake of Bako Sweet®, then you are already well aware of the abundant opportunities February brings to the sweet potato category. The famed sweet potato brand is celebrating National Sweet Potato Month and National Heart Month with a series of creative initiatives set to encourage consumption by touting the category’s coveted health benefits.

"It is really important to us that our partners have a way to engage shoppers throughout the year to showcase the versatility and everyday use of sweet potatoes," says Noritake, Director of Sales at Bako Sweet. “We’re kicking off with our heart-healthy themed shippers and will continue to offer display bins for Easter, summer grilling, back to school, and holidays.”

Directly communicating the heart-health benefits of sweet potatoes to consumers, Bako Sweet’s vibrant value-added packaging carries the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart Check Certification, enhancing the Bako Sweet brand with a prestigious distinction. The brand’s eye-catching shipper display bin is also available for retailers to emphasize the heart-healthy benefits of sweet potatoes, a press release explained.

Bako Sweet is also harnessing this momentum through its expansive recipe library, bringing new recipes to its website and social media pages to inspire shoppers to incorporate sweet potatoes into their daily meals or Valentine’s Day treats.

To support the brand’s key messaging this February, media dietitian Kristen Carli with Camelback Nutrition & Wellness shared creative and healthy ways to incorporate sweet potatoes into slow cooker meals on Arizona Daily Mix, a press release explained. Food stylist Patty Mastracco with I Do Food shared creative ways to incorporate heart-healthy sweet potatoes for the Big Game on Great Day Fresno, and later this month, media dietitian Veronica Rouse with The Heart Dietitian will speak to AZTV about the heart health benefits of sweet potatoes and why they are important to incorporate into everyday meals.

"Bako Sweet Potatoes stand out as a heart-healthy powerhouse, boasting a wealth of fiber and potassium that actively contribute to lowering cholesterol levels and maintaining optimal blood pressure," emphasized heart dietitian Veronica Rouse. "Incorporating this messaging in the promotion of sweet potatoes at the retail level serves as an excellent strategy to underscore to shoppers the invaluable benefits of adding sweet potatoes into their daily diet."

Happy National Sweet Potato Month and National Heart Health Month!