HOUSTON, TX & SANTA PAULA, CA - One of the houses I lived in growing up had this big lemon tree in our backyard. I’ve always seen shows depicting little kids running lemonade stands, but that never came to mind for me. Limoneira, on the other hand, wants to change that—for other kids, of course. Limoneira has partnered up with Lemonade Day National and has established a two-year charitable licensing agreement designed to support Lemonade Day in advancing its mission to equip kids with business and character building skills that will prepare them later on in life.

“The Lemonade Day program teaches the value of hard work, owning a business, and giving back to the community—ideals that could have come out of the mouths of our founders more than 125 years ago,” said John Chamberlain, Vice President of Marketing for Limoneira. “All of us at Limoneira couldn’t be more excited to transform the lives of young people by helping to elevate Lemonade Day’s profile within the organization’s 75+ licensed markets as well as help secure even more Lemonade Day communities.”

According to the press release, the agreement was completed in September and coincided with the launch of the Lemonade Day 2020 season. Lemonade Day is a national youth entrepreneurship program that teaches kids how to launch their own lemonade business. Limoneira will serve as presenting sponsor and fund the prizes for Lemonade Day’s National Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, announced every September during the National City Directors Conference. Limoneira will also provide additional benefits that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Delivery of in-kind product to Lemonade Day cities
• Development and co-branding of Limoneira lemonade recipe
• Working with Lemonade Day executives to encourage legislators to loosen permitting requirements and reduce or eliminate fees for temporary food businesses operated by children under 18 years old
• Encouraging its retailers to allow Lemonade Day participants to set up their stands inside or outside their stores
• Coordinating and maximizing collaborative advertising and promotional opportunities
• Sponsorship of the LemonMobile

“What is the LemonMobile?” I hear you ask. Limoneira plans to convert a school bus that will be driven to key promotional markets from coast to coast. The LemonMobile will be available to help kids and their mentors learn about the Lemonade Day program, the health benefits of lemons, and how to make their own “healthy stand” lemonade when it is not delivering lemons to food deserts and other underserved communities.

In order for the kids to learn how to make easy, tasty, and nutritious recipes, Limoneira has teamed up with Megan Roosevelt, a registered dietician and founder of Healthy Grocery Girl, who is also a spokesperson for Limoneira’s Take a Healthy Stand™ platform. Take a Healthy Stand showcases the many ways that citrus and produce can play a role in helping to alleviate serious health issues as well as enhancing personal appearance and well-being. Roosevelt will develop recipes for Lemonade Day participants to offer to customers at their lemonade stands that coincides with that platform.

“As a global citrus supplier, Limoneira is a perfect partner for us. Our Lemonade Day National Board of Directors share my enthusiasm about collaborating with this global company, its employees, and its customers,” said Steven Gordon, Lemonade Day National President. “The company’s founders, Nathan W. Blanchard and Wallace L. Hardison, were pioneers with the spirit and vision that helped to lay the foundations of a thriving California citrus industry. Their guiding principles align with the leadership, confidence-building, and entrepreneurship lessons that Lemonade Day teaches young business dreamers.”

For more inspiring news out of the produce world, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

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