Caribbean Powerhouse Grace Foods On Track For Penn Relays

Grace Foods and Service Ltd., the Caribbean’s premier food producer and distributor is set to create a Caribbean- flavoured frenzy at The Penn Relays this April.  In the same way that Jamaica and the Caribbean have emerged as surprising powerhouses on the track, Grace Foods is betting on their strength off the track with an array of Caribbean-inspired ready-to-eat treats for the Diaspora and the world.  Coconut water, green plantain chips, Nurishment and Grace Blends, a sorrel-based beverage, are some of the exotic offerings to be dished up by Grace Foods at the U.S.’s premier track and field event.

While Grace products may, at first glance, be deemed unconventional, they represent foods with flavour profiles intensely familiar to Caribbean people and frequent travellers to the region. With growing numbers of consumers willing to explore exotic island cuisine, there seems to be no end to the swell of this latest food trend.

Grace Foods will build a Caribbean oasis in the Penn Carnival Village and will be sampling a range of Caribbean products including Grace coconut water.  This natural beverage has been an island staple for aeons, and has recently begun to enjoy wide acclaim as the ultimate isotonic sports drink.   

Caribbean / Jamaican Track Fans

The Caribbean Diaspora can count in the millions, its numbers within Philadelphia and the tri-state area.  As the Penn Relays take place, the city can look forward to them descending in droves to support the Caribbean teams. Moreover, in the wake of Jamaica’s track and field domination, track aficionados  will be geared up to discover the next star to blast out of what is affectionately called the “Jamaica: the sprint factory of the world.”   The keenly contested Grace 100M race will be the one to watch as it is expected to feature blistering speeds from the world’s top sprinters. Medallists for this event will be presented with Grace gift baskets chock-full of the company’s best.   

Grace Foods USA’s Regional Business Manager Ricardo Bryan shares, “Grace welcomes every opportunity to connect Jamaicans living abroad to Jamaica.  The Penn Relays has always been a good-natured celebration of the Jamaican spirit – the energy and excitement of the Caribbean and the intensity of track and field competition.  We continue to support athletes from the region, who work tirelessly to deliver excellence”.

Sponsorship of Sports is not new to Grace. In Jamaica, the company boasts title sponsorship of the world’s largest high school developmental meet, The Grace Issa Boy and Girls Championships. This 100-year old event has been the birthplace and nurturing ground of some of Jamaica’s greatest track talents; most recently Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Melaine Walker, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter to name a few.

Celebrations & Celebrities

Food, music and vibes will be merged Caribbean-style at the event.  Island DJ’s will infuse the Grace sampling booth with reggae and calypso rhythms. A Grace Party Stand will be created for in-stand excitement.  Access to the premium seats within the Grace Party Stand will be granted by entry into online contests, in-store promotions and promotional campaigns on Carib-themed programming on N.Y., N.J. and Pennsylvania TV and radio.

Grace sponsored athlete, Shelly-Ann Fraser, OD (Order of Distinction) Jamaican 100 metre world champion and Penn Relays alumna, will be on hand at the Grace location to sign autographs and take pictures at scheduled times throughout the meet. Her latest partnership with Grace sees her take on a role as Grace Goodwill Ambassador of Peace, promoting conflict resolution skills to Jamaica’s youth.

Consumer Connections

New media will also play its part in the Grace Penn Relays sponsorship.  Grace has re-launched a Jamaican Sports Social Network, which will serve as a connection point for Penn Relays attendees and track and field aficionados. The site will be the source for updates and contests around the event series. The forces of Twitter and Facebook will also be employed to link the Grace Foods audience based in Jamaica and the region to the events and activities at the Penn Relays.