WATSONVILLE, CA - The third Tour de Fresh, which this time took participants from Napa to Monterey, CA, broke all its previous records in its effort to donate salad bars to schools across the nation.

“This was, by far, the best event we’ve had to-date and will set a precedence for future Tour de Fresh rides,” said Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, in a press release. “It’s always such a joy to witness the passion that these industry professionals bring to the event because it produces significant results, and in the end, kids win!”

Some of the record-breaking stats include:

• Currently at more than $160,500 (as of this morning)
• Raised enough for more than 50 salad bars through Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools
• Record-breaking numbers in both riders and sponsors

The ride brought together an overwhelming camaraderie, as the riders not only went through the three-day ride of almost 200 miles, coming into the finish line at Monterey, CA’s Wharf Marketplace on July 28th to family, friends, industry leaders, and event sponsors.

“Most people don’t realize the months and months it takes to prepare and train for a three-day event like Tour de Fresh,” said Helena Beckett, Director of Walmart at Tanimura & Antle, Tour de Fresh steering committee member, and yellow jersey recipient. “But, when we’re able to finally experience that time together, celebrating something as significant as putting fresh fruits and vegetables in more than 50 schools in America, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

As we reported previously, the yellow jerseys are nominations by peers on the ride for those inspiring, assisting, or in any way going an extra mile on the ride. Other yellow jersey recipients for this third installment of the Tour de Fresh included:

• Jess Kolko of Whole Foods Market
• Jenn LaVardera of Dole
• Ty and Troy Burns of PMA
• John Lukasko of Fresh Produce Partners
• Brian and Greg Vetter of Tessemae’s
• John Feldeisen of Dole
• John McCann of Delmonte
• Ryan Wolcott of Stuppy
• Brandon Gritters of Interfresh and his wife Amy

As the event ended to applause and congratulations, riders found they raised more than $7,000 more than the last Tour de Fresh event, over $157,000 before the kick off of PMA Foodservice. Donations will continue to be taken, however, until reaching the 2016 goal of $175,000.

Donate to Place Salad Bars in Schools

Tour de Fresh would not be possible without the support of its Premier Sponsors:

• California Giant Berry Farms
• Church Brothers Farms
• DMA Solutions
• Dole Fresh Vegetables
• Enza Zaden
• Fresh Point
• J&J Family of Farms
• Mission Produce
• Sunripe Certified Brands
• Tanimura & Antle
• Tsamma

Additional sponsors include AndNowUKnow, Artic Apples, Blendtec, CHEP, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, EBX Logistics, Evolution Fresh, Hort Americas, Infinite Gold by Sakata, Interfresh, iTrade Network, Lipman, Natural Delights, Pajaro Valley Fresh, PRO*ACT, PMA, Rehrig Pacific Company, Renaissance Food Group, Specialty Produce, SunFed, United Fresh, Watsonville Coast Produce, Western Precooling, and The Wharf Marketplace.

The partnership between Tour de Fresh and Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools, led by the United Fresh Start Foundation, continues to offer the produce industry a way to be directly involved in furthering access to fresh fruits and vegetables to students, having raised over $300,000 and placed over 100 salad bars in schools across the country before this third event even took place.

Congratulations to all the organizers, sponsors, and especially the riders, on this program’s continued success.

Tour de Fresh