December 14, 2010

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Minneapolis-based Taste of the NFL (TNFL) is partnering with PepsiCo in their quest to fight hunger in the United States.  The two organizations will team up to benefit food banks across the country.  PepsiCo's commitment will culminate in the TNFL's 'Party with a Purpose' – a coveted event of Super Bowl weekend taking place the night before the big game.  

'Party with a Purpose' features a strolling dinner venue featuring 32 of the country's best chefs, each representing their NFL city, as well as current, Hall of Fame, or alumni players from each NFL team to feed and entertain guests throughout the evening.  All of the proceeds from the event go to support local and national hunger organizations.

"The Super Bowl in North Texas is a milestone for all of us involved," said Wayne Kostroski, founder of Taste of the NFL. "We'll celebrate our 20th anniversary of kicking hunger and PepsiCo will celebrate a significant opportunity to positively impact its neighbors in its hometown."

Throughout the years, TNFL has raised more than $10 million for local and national food banks and inspired countless others to join in the mission of kicking hunger. The organization has also spurred a dozen NFL teams to hold TNFL events in their own cities to benefit local food banks. Two recent examples include the Dallas Cowboys who raised $185,000 at The Ultimate Cowboys Tailgate Party and the New York Jets who raised $200,000 at their annual event.  

"PepsiCo and our employees live, serve and work in every community in the U.S. Partnering with the Taste of the NFL allows us to build on our existing community efforts and gives us another way to fight hunger, a growing issue for too many Americans," said Mike Del Pozzo, director of marketing, Frito-Lay North America, a division of PepsiCo. "Throughout this season, we hope football fans join us and the Taste of the NFL to do their part in the fight against hunger."

If you'd like to learn how you or your company can be involved in their fight against hunger, please visit www.TasteoftheNFL.com.

About the Taste of the NFL

The Taste of the NFL (TNFL) is a 501c3 that exists to raise awareness and dollars for hunger relief organizations involved in tackling hunger in America. Proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2011, the organization conducts national and local fund raising events throughout the year to raise money to combat hunger issues facing millions of Americans. Within its 20 years, Minneapolis-based Taste of the NFL has raised more than $10 million for this critically important cause and is looking forward to its national event on the eve of Super Bowl XLV in North Texas. For more information, visit www.TasteoftheNFL.com.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE Frito-Lay