Wonderful Pistachios and the Harlem Globetrotters “Get Crackin’” for Healthy Snacking

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wonderful Pistachios and the Harlem Globetrotters today announced they have inked a three-year, seven-figure sponsorship deal. The top-selling snack nut item and the beloved American basketball team will work together to promote healthy snacking as part of the Wonderful Pistachios “Get Crackin’” campaign. The goal of “Get Crackin’” is to encourage consumers to choose healthful snack alternatives and to make Wonderful Pistachios a household name much like the Harlem Globetrotters are today.

“These are phenomenal athletes and entertainers who enjoy healthy snacking, and their fans do, too. We are selling a record number of pistachios at sports events because consumers want better food choices when they’re watching a game. Our sponsorship of the Harlem Globetrotters is a natural fit.”

“The Harlem Globetrotters are an American icon, and we are pleased to begin building a meaningful, long-term partnership with them,” said Marc Seguin, Paramount Farms vice president of marketing. “These are phenomenal athletes and entertainers who enjoy healthy snacking, and their fans do, too. We are selling a record number of pistachios at sports events because consumers want better food choices when they’re watching a game. Our sponsorship of the Harlem Globetrotters is a natural fit.”

“Millions of children look up to the Harlem Globetrotters as role models, and so we are proud to step forward to set the right example of healthy eating for our nation’s kids by partnering with Wonderful Pistachios,” said Kurt Schneider, CEO of the Harlem Globetrotters. “We are living in a nation where one in three children and teens are overweight or obese. By joining with Wonderful Pistachios on our current North American tour that stops in over 240 cities, we can inform children of positive, healthy choices.”

As part of the deal, Wonderful Pistachios will receive in-game brand integration, program advertising, product sampling and other opportunities. While the National Basketball Association continues to debate on whether it will allow advertising on team jerseys, the Harlem Globetrotters has taken its first step in welcoming sponsors. Beginning this season, the team will feature the “Get Crackin’” logo on its jersey front.

See the Harlem Globetrotters’ “Get Crackin’” commercial on the air beginning January 21 and online at www.getcrackin.com. For more information about the Harlem Globetrotters 2013 World Tour visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

About Wonderful® Pistachios

The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer. Wonderful Pistachios are grown in Lost Hills, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California. Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide and are available in a variety of sizes. For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the “Get Crackin’” campaign, visit www.getcrackin.com, www.facebook.com/wonderfulpistachios and www.twitter.com/getcrackin.

About Paramount Farms

Part of Roll Global LLC, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Paramount Farms is one of a group of privately owned, affiliated companies that comprise the largest farming operation of tree crops in the world. In addition to pistachios and almonds, Paramount Farms is also the largest producer and exclusive grower of the California Wonderful variety of pomegranates. Sister company, Paramount Citrus, is the largest orange and lemon packing facility in North America, the majority of which come from its own orchards, and the largest grower of Clementine mandarin oranges in the United States.

About Harlem Globetrotters

Sponsored by Howard Johnson Hotels, Wonderful Pistachios, Greyhound Lines, Spalding, and Russell Athletic, the Original Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 87^th consecutive year, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry, and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages. Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 121 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans—among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents—over more than eight thrilling decades. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com.