ELGIN, MN - An exciting new partnership is underway that will continue to bridge the fresh produce industry and the world of grocery retail, all for a good cause. Honeybear® Brands has announced that it will be partnering with Hy-Vee in order to help families boost their health and wellness.

Hy-Vee’s current KidsFit virtual program educates children and their parents through free online challenges, an e-newsletter, and an app. The program will be featured across over 200 of its stores until February 28, and Honeybear’s Pazazz™ premium apple variety will support the program through a special promotion as the first fresh produce item to promote healthy foods to shoppers under the KidsFit brand.

“The combination of online learning, decreased activity that comes with cold weather, and shelter in place restrictions due to COVID-19 are taking their toll on families, especially kids. We know physical activity is not only good for the body, but also the mind and mood. Add healthy food choices, like Pazazz apples that help protect your brain, aid weight loss, stimulate good gut bacteria and promote bone health, and you have a winning equation,” said Don Roper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Honeybear Brands. “Plus, Pazazz is such a great-tasting apple, parents may find kids becoming apple fans for life.”

The Pazazz apples are a descendant of the popular Honeycrisp variety, and offer a perfectly balanced flavor profile of sweet and tart, according to a press release. The apple has a strong crunch, and its flavor remains strong, making it a great year-round treat for families to enjoy and a perfect option for the KidsFit program.

Hy-Vee’s KidsFit program currently includes the KidsFit Club, a monthly online newsletter with monthly challenges; the School Wellness Club, featuring rewards to local schools within a 50-mile radius of a Hy-Vee store; the 5-Week challenge, which offers 35 daily activities for all age levels; and the KidsFit app that teaches health and wellness habits through games and challenges. All aspects of the program were designed to help families not only lead healthier lives, but have fun while doing so.

“Our KidsFit program has become an even more important and a helpful resource for families and schools, given that we now do so much online. We make fitness and creating healthy habits fun with our virtual activities and interactive games,” said Daira Driftmier, Director of Hy-Vee KidsFit. “We’re excited to partner with Honeybear Brands to feature Pazazz apples in our produce section where KidsFit comes to life offline, in store with signage that helps shoppers take advantage of our program and healthy eating tips.”

KidsFit features recipes and food education showcasing healthy ingredients, like the Pazazz apple, to its viewers. Additionally, Hy-Vee dietitians are featured in the online videos providing messages to kids and their parents, and teaching them about important aspects of nutrition.

As dynamic partnerships like this continue to flourish across the industry, AndNowUKnow will be here to bring you the latest information.

Hy-Vee Honeybear® Brands