WASHINGTON, DC - The Equitable Food Initiative is serious about improving food safety, farmworkers’ lives and livelihoods, and transparency throughout the supply chain. It’s also serious about squirrels—one seriously cute brand ambassador squirrel, in particular. Thumbelina (@Little_Thumbelina_Girl), an Instagram-famous eastern gray squirrel, is experiencing something of a renaissance right now on social media, and her ardor for fresh produce is at the heart of that appeal.

“Thumbelina is a social media sensation with several hundred thousand followers on Facebook and Instagram,” said LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti, Director, Marketing Communications, for EFI. “She was rescued as a baby when her nest was destroyed during construction in New York. She was unable to return to the wild due to her lack of ‘squirrel skills,’ and unlike other rescued squirrels, she has developed a very profound relationship with her humans. She just celebrated her third birthday in early March, and her humans consider her an ambassador to remind us to respect and be kind to all wildlife.”

And the diminutive influencer has proven incredibly effective, reaching between 15,000 and 50,000 views with her videos and sparking comments that both celebrate Thumbelina’s cuteness and the deliciousness of her favorite foods.

“She brings so much joy to eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Her favorite food is avocado, but she loves berries, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and greens—especially arugula. She is thrilled when her mom and dad bring home a grocery bag, and she has been known to break into the fresh produce when she wasn't supposed to,” LeAnne noted. “Eating fresh fruits and vegetables for Thumbelina is a full-sensory experience, and I think she carries an important message to humans about how joyful it is to eat fresh produce. When staff at the Equitable Food Initiative found Thumbelina on Instagram, we couldn't help but see her as an ambassador for fresh produce as well as wildlife.”

In Thumbelina’s passion for produce, EFI’s marketing team found the perfect vehicle for the Initiative’s message—by encouraging fresh fruit and veggie consumption and helping consumers keep an eye out for EFI’s Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured label.

 

 

 

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THANK YOU so much Equitable Food Initiative! . @equitablefood is a nonprofit organization that works with out local farms and farmers to safer, more responsibly grown organic produce. They sent us some of their products, and it literally tastes like we picked them right out of our backyard. So so good! THANK YOU!! #equitablefoodinitiative #eficertified #thankyouefi #wehavethebestfrens #thumbelinamail #savingthattomato #babytomatoes #strawberries #raspberries #organic #thankyou

A post shared by Thumbelina (@little_thumbelina_girl) on Mar 27, 2019 at 12:22pm PDT

“I love when fresh produce companies move past sharing recipes and nutrition facts to engage with the consumer in delightful and unexpected ways, and I think our outreach to Thumbelina falls in that category,” LeAnne said. “We sent her a box of EFI-certified produce and a card describing what EFI's Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured™ label means so that she could share these messages with her followers and she didn't disappoint. Within hours of receiving the box, numerous videos, photos, and social media stories were posted to Thumbelina's account and her followers were asking questions about EFI and thanking us for the work we do.”

For more creative ways in which social media savvy associations are working toward a fresher, healthier future, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Equitable Food Initiative