LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – (September 23, 2013) – Official Moustache season is here! The Movember Foundation enters its 11^th year as the leading global organization to change the face of men’s health.  Starting today, men and women are encouraged to become an official participant by signing up at Movember.com and committing to grow and support the moustache – and only the moustache – during Movember, the month formerly known as November.

Movember challenges men to start clean-shaven on November 1 and grow just a moustache for 30 days, getting friends, family and colleagues to donate to their moustache-growing efforts. The growth of a moustache sparks conversations and raises vital funds for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems. To date, the Movember community has raised over $550 million and funded over 800 programs in 21 countries.

“Now, more than ever, is a critical time to raise funds and awareness for men’s health,” said Mark Hedstrom, U.S. Country Director at Movember.  “Over the last 11 years, the moustache has become the symbol for men’s health, with over 4 million men and women participating in the Movember movement. Together, we are making a change and reducing stigmas so that men can take action for their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Movember 2013 was the largest, most significant campaign the US has ever seen. Over 219,000 men and women signed up on Movember.com and raised nearly $23 million for men’s health.  Globally, the Movember Foundation is focused on men’s health, specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health.

Details about the more than 800 programs that Movember has funded can be found on the funded programs page on Movember.com.

• Prostate Cancer: 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. In the US, the Movember Foundation funds world-class research and survivorship programs through our Global Action Plan (GAP), the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Through these programs, we are funding first in field, research teams focused on accelerating progress towards the reduction of death and suffering due to recurrent or advanced prostate cancer and programs to support men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer as well as their families and caregivers.
• Testicular Cancer: Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men aged 15-35 years. For men diagnosed with testicular cancer, we seek to improve their physical and mental health, and reduce mortality.  In the US, the Movember Foundation funds have supported our Global Action Plan (GAP) and the LIVESTRONG Foundation’s Cancer Navigation Services.

• Mental Health: Men are 4 times more likely to die of suicide than women. Since 2006, the Movember Foundation has funded mental health programs in Australia and New Zealand, and since 2013 in Canada. Movember is currently working with industry experts to lay the foundation for the mental health initiative that Movember will be funding in the U.S.  Movember is focused on the these key areas in mental health:

• Prevention – men and boys are mentally healthy and take action to remain so.
• Early intervention – when men and boys experience mental health problems they take action early.
• Stigma reduction – men and boys with mental health problems are not discriminated against.

The new “Made in Movember” campaign theme encourages the community to focus on thinking globally and acting locally. Once signed up at Movember.com, participants become part of the global movement and utilize their personalized fundraising page to get friends, family, and colleagues to donate to their efforts.

For more information, please visit Movember.com. Connect with Movember on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, and Pinterest.

Sign up and join the largest men’s health movement at Movember.com.

About the Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation’s vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health. We do this by getting men to grow moustaches during Movember (the month formerly known as November) to spark conversation and raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health. Together with the Movember community we have raised over $550 million, and have funded over 800 world-class programs in 21 countries. We’re committed to changing the face of men’s health and won’t stop growing as long as serious men’s health issues remain.

Movember is fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and for the past two years, has been named a Top 100 best NGO by The Global Journal. For more information please visit Movember.com. Movember is a registered 501(c)(3) charity.

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Chicago, IL (September 2, 2014) – Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC today announced that Jewel, the award-winning recording artist and author, will continue to serve as a brand ambassador and spokesperson for Pure Via^® in the U.S. and Canada during the upcoming holiday season.

The all-natural, non-GMO*, zero-calorie sweetener continues to partner with Jewel to promote the brand’s “Tune in to Pure” campaign, which encourages consumers to take pleasure in the simple things that make every day sweeter.  It also promotes the use of the natural sweetener used in Pure Via^® Rebaudioside A (Reb A), which comes from the sweetest and best-tasting part of the stevia leaf.

The highpoint of the campaign is a free digital cookbook/songbook, which gives consumers immediate access to free downloads of never before released versions of two hit Jewel songs and two of Jewel’s holiday favorites at www.purevia.com/jewel-tunes.  The book also offers Jewel’s tips for using Pure Via, delicious recipes, coupons, song lyrics, and Jewel’s own photos.

Jewel’s image will appear on specially marked packages of Pure Via^® as well as in the brand’s national advertising and promotional materials: a freestanding insert (FSI), digital banners, consumer sampling, social media and in-store activation.  The packages will also feature download information for the free cookbook/songbook.

“Jewel is a natural fit for Pure Via,” said Cheryl Gill, director, North America Marketing, Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC.  “She is passionate about living a pure life and using products like Pure Via with no artificial processing, preservatives or color.  Just simple non-GMO* ingredients.”

“Food should be as pure and close to nature as possible,” said Jewel.  “I use Pure Via in my favorite beverages as well as my cooking and snacking because it makes life just a little sweeter – naturally.”

Pure Via^® will also host consumer contests and giveaways on the brand’s facebook page, including signed merchandise, posters and CDs.

Look for the Pure Via^® packaging featuring Jewel in the sweetener aisle at grocery, club and mass merchandise stores across the U.S.

In addition to Pure Via,^® consumers can also enjoy Pure Via^® Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar & Stevia Blend, a lower calorie alternative to regular sugar that combines turbinado sugar and stevia plant extract to create a golden brown all-natural sweetener that’s crunchy, sweet and delicious.  Consumers can use both options like sugar to make foods and beverages taste naturally delicious.  They simply spoon, sprinkle, dip or mix the sweetener in coffee, tea and iced tea or in their favorite recipes.  A sweet addition to a healthy lifestyle, both blends are non-GMO*, kosher and suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance.

Discover more at www.purevia.com or www.purevia.com/Jewel-Tunes, and on www.facebook.com/PureViaUS and https://twitter.com/PureVia

About Pure Via^®

Pure Via^® is an all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener this is made from Rebaudioside A (Reb A), the sweetest, best-tasting part of the stevia leaf.  Reb A is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Crafted to be perfect in coffee and herbal tea, Pure Via^® is available in 40- and 80ct. boxes for a suggested retail price of $2.49 and $4.29, respectively.  You can purchase Pure Via^® in the sweetener aisle at grocery, club and mass merchandise stores across the U.S. and Canada.  Pure Via^® is a registered trademark of Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC.

*About Non-GMO

Pure Via^® believes that a food or food ingredient is Non-GMO if it is not the product of bioengineering. Bioengineering means the group of applied techniques of genetics and biotechnology used to cut up and join together genetic material and especially DNA from one or more species of organism and to introduce the result into an organism in order to change one or more of its characteristics. Pure Via^® believes that food ingredients that are derived from GMO plant material should also be deemed GMO. Pure Via^® believes that food ingredients are not GMO if they are produced using enzymes harvested from micro-organisms that are the product of bioengineering.

About Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC

Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC is committed to providing natural sweeteners and to helping people eat better and live healthier, more fulfilling lives.  Formed in 2006, Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC launched its first all-natural sweetener brand, Sweet Simplicity®, in 2007, and the company continues to develop products that are perfectly natural and naturally pure.  Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merisant Company, the maker of Equal® and Canderel® and a global leader in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of tabletop sweeteners, with sales in over 90 countries.  For more information, visit www.wholeearthsweetener.com

About Jewel

From the remote ranch of her Alaskan youth to the triumph of international stardom, four-time Grammy nominee Jewel, hailed by the New York Times as a “songwriter bursting with talents,” has enjoyed career longevity rare among her generation of artists. Whether alone with her guitar or fronting a band of ace musicians, Jewel has always been a charismatic live performer, earning the respect of other singer-songwriters such as Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, who, not only invited her to open their shows, but mentored her in the early phases of her career. After a tremendous amount of success as a singer-songwriter and over 27 million albums sold, Jewel released a Greatest Hits album in 2013. She also starred as June Carter Cash in the Lifetime biopic “Ring of Fire,” which earned four Emmy nominations. After joining NBC’s “The Sing Off” as a new judge in 2013 she released her much-anticipated follow-up holiday album, “Let It Snow.”  Fans can follow Jewel on facebook https://www.facebook.com/jeweljk and @jeweljk on twitter https://twitter.com/jeweljk

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World’s Highest-Rated Bourbon Will Plant a White Oak Tree for Every Picture Posted This September With the Hashtag #AE4THETREES

Louisville, Kentucky (September 1, 2014) – Louisville Distilling Co. LLC, producers of the highly celebrated Angel’s Envy super-premium bourbon, will Toast the Trees this September (aka National Bourbon Heritage Month), in an effort to fight back against the current bourbon barrel shortage.

With a sharp increase of new bourbon enthusiasts over the past several years, demand is higher than ever.  Angel’s Envy is committed to helping make sure that there is always enough American white oak for the cooperages and bourbon distilleries of tomorrow to continue to age in new charred oak barrels.  Angel’s Envy goes the extra step in finishing in port barrels.

This September, the World’s Highest Rated Bourbon is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant new white oak trees across North America for every picture bourbon enthusiasts take of an Angel’s Envy cocktail – neat, on-the-rocks or in a cocktail.  Participants simply post their picture to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #AE4THETREES.  Angel’s Envy will plant a white oak tree for every picture posted this September bearing the hashtag.[1]

“We wanted to create a charitable initiative to engage our fans in a fun and meaningful way via social media where they’re already active,” said Samira Seiller, Managing Director of Louisville Distilling Company.  “As Angel’s Envy grows, we realize it’s important to give back.  Toast the Trees helps us to preserve the future of bourbon through planning and sustainability.”

About Angel’s Envy  

The small batch artisan bourbon is the culmination of the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson’s storied career.  One of the original pioneers of the premium bourbon and whiskey categories in the U.S., Lincoln came out of retirement to create the world’s finest bourbon on his own terms – with a simple desire to enjoy the art of making whiskey.  The Master Distiller, who was an inaugural member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame also spent 40 years of working on world-class brands, such as Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniels.

In addition to the flagship bourbon port cask finish, the Company offers Angel’s Envy Cask Strength and Angel’s Envy Rye.  Each Expression exhibits Lincoln’s passion for experimenting outside of conventional norms and producing unique whiskey steeped in tradition, but finished with a twist.

–       Bourbon Port Cask Finish, distilled for an unparalleled smoothness, aged for 4-6 years in American white oak barrels and finished in hand-selected port casks for an incremental 3-6 months.  Now available in more than 35 U.S. markets, the expression earned a 98/100 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine – the highest-ever rating for a bourbon – and five stars (highest recommendation) from F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal.

–       Cask Strength, aged to the perfect level of richness and maturity in the few American white oak barrels that made the cut (and are available each year) and then finished in Port casks for up to 18 months.  Due to the scarcity of barrels necessary for the enhanced finishing process, Angel’s Envy only released 350 total 9-liter cases in 2013.  The inaugural release in 2012 sold out in weeks.  Paul Pacult of Spirit Journal named the Cask Strength “Best Spirit in the World,” giving it five stars and noting it “deserves a sixth rating star.”  Available in: CA, FL, IL, KY, MA, NY, TN and TX, for the suggested retail price (750ml bottle) of $169.

–       Rye Whiskey, made with 95% rye and 5% malted barley that’s aged for at least six years in new American, charred oak barrels and finished in hand-selected Caribbean rum casks for up to 18 months.  Both The Tasting Panel and Wine Enthusiast magazines awarded Angel’s Envy Rye with 94/100 points.  Available for the suggested retail price (750ml bottle)of $79.99.

Angel’s Envy is currently building a distillery that will be located in downtown Louisville, on the corner of Main Street and Jackson, bringing the great tradition of Kentucky bourbon-making back to the city.  The new state-of-the-art distillery and brand experience center will make a great starting point for the Bourbon Trail and be open to the public for guided tours.  Louisville Distilling Company expects the new distillery to be up and running in 2015.

For more information, please visit us at www.angelsenvy.com or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/AngelsEnvyBourbon and twitter https://twitter.com/Angels_Envy (@angels_envy).

Angel’s Envy 2014.  Heaven Can Wait.  Please Drink Responsibly.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance in the 19th century, the Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members, supporters, and valued partners.  The impact we make on our world is accomplished through our conservation and education programs.

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Chicago, IL (June 24, 2014) – Plum Market, your connection to local, natural, organic, and specialty items, today adds Instacart as an official delivery service for its Old Town store.  Instacart is the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour.  The Company’s prices will be the same as Plum Market’s in-store prices.

“Our new partnership with Instacart enables us to offer Plum Market shoppers a convenient and cost-effective home delivery option,” said Matt Jonna, President and Co-founder of Plum Market. “It will also help us widen our reach throughout the city, to grow our customer base.”

Instacart Chicago City Manager Scott Holloway said that his team approached Plum Market after numerous requests from Chicago customers. “Plum Market is recognized locally as a great option for natural and organic foods, and we had many requests from existing Instacart customers to add them as a delivery option,” said Holloway. “Matt and his team were very receptive to the idea, and we’re excited to kick off this service.”

Originally launched in San Francisco, Instacart expanded to Chicago in September and in addition to continually adding stores has expanded its local delivery area several times since. Instacart has disrupted the traditional grocery delivery space with its crowd sourced labor force dubbed “Personal Shoppers” who shop for and deliver grocery orders using their own transportation in as little as one hour. This eliminates the need for costly infrastructure such as inventory, warehouses, trucks and full-time drivers.

Customers can open an account at www.Instacart.com, and get free delivery on their first order of $35 or more.  Instacart also offers a service called Instacart Express – an annual membership that eliminates delivery fees for all orders of $35 or more.  The cost is just $99. Customers can sign up for a free two-week trial at www.instacart.com/express.

For a full map of Instacart’s Chicago delivery area, visit https://www.instacart.com/locations/chicago.

About Plum Market

Plum Market, located 1233 N. Wells Street, is Old Town’s grocer for natural, organic, local and specialty items. The privately owned company, which is based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, also has full-service grocery stores in Bloomfield Township, Michigan; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and West Bloomfield, Michigan. Plum Market offers a full-service shopping experience to inspire guests to Live Well, With Taste. The team works with local producers and growers to feature seasonal and hard-to-find products in each department, including a large selection of organic produce. Plum Market operates daily from 8:00am to 10:00pm. Guests enjoy free two-hour parking on the second level of an attached parking deck. For more information, visit us on Facebook and follow us @PlumMarket on twitter.

About Instacart
Instacart is the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour, and is often less expensive for consumers than a personal, time-consuming trip to the grocery store. Customers in San Francisco, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Jose, Seattle and Washington, DC can choose from over 350,000 items from local grocery stores and large chains like Safeway, Whole Foods Market, Shaw’s, BJ’s Wholesale and Costco. Instacart is disrupting the traditional grocery delivery business with its approach, which utilizes a crowdsourced model of Personal Shoppers who provide their own transportation and smartphones to shop and deliver groceries to customers. This model eliminates the need for costly infrastructure such as warehouses, trucks and full-time drivers. Learn more at www.Instacart.com.

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Old Town’s Full-Service Grocer to Offer Exclusive Flash Sales All Week Long

Chicago, IL (June 23, 2014) – Plum Market, Old Town’s connection to natural, organic, local and specialty items, is proud to celebrate its one-year anniversary in Chicago with special savings all week long and an in-store party for guests.

The main event on Saturday, June 28 will include free samples in each department of the store and live music from the Pinup Project from 11:00am to 3:00pm.  Each day from June 23-29, the store will feature a different anniversary deal, which will allow customers to experience some of Plum Market’s favorite products.

Special Anniversary Savings include:

• $4 Raw Juice Blends, Limit six per person | Monday, 6/23

• $10 Box of Kind Bars, Limit two per person | Tuesday, 6/24

• $9/lb Faroe Islands Salmon Fillets, Limit 5lb per person | Wednesday, 6/25

• $5 Housemade Wraps, Limit two per person | Thursday, 6/26

• Sparkling Wines from Around the Globe WineBar Event | Thursday, 6/26
  • Celebratory sparkling wine tasting. Purchase tickets here.

• $7 Dozen Short Stem Roses, Limit two dozen per person | Friday, 6/27

• $5 – 1 Liter Pons Olive Oil – Limit six per person | Saturday, 6/28

• 3 for $10 – 3oz Vosges Haut-Chocolat Bars | Sunday, 6/29

Guests are also invited to enjoy the store’s newly opened fresh-pressed ‘JuiceBar,’ located next to the WineBar.  The JuiceBar offers raw juices daily, made from Plum’s own fresh selection of produce that will help customers detox, reboot and revive.  The custom blends and superfood smoothies are made to order, maintaining the natural benefits of nutrients and antioxidants.  For more information, visit www.plummarket.com.

About Plum Market

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Premium Vodka Brand Reaffirms Commitment to Donate $1 to Veterans Charities for Every 750ml Bottle Sold

Chicago, IL (May 1, 2014) – Better Brands Beverage Co., the parent company of Salute American Vodka, announced a national initiative geared to assist our nation’s veterans and military families who are in need of financial assistance.  Through a one-year licensing agreement beginning today, the American-made premium vodka will donate $1 to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Foundation for every 750ml bottle sold.

Funds donated by Salute American will be earmarked for the VFW Unmet Needs program, which supports struggling veterans and their families.  Salute American kicked off the initiative with an initial $10,000 donation and will be a presenting sponsor of the 115^th VFW National Convention in St. Louis, Mo., from July 19-23, 2014.

“There are countless veterans who need some form of financial assistance,” said John Hamilton, VFW adjutant general.  “Each purchase of Salute American vodka will assist us in fulfilling our mandate of service to our nation’s veterans, service members and their families.  It’s a simple way for veterans and non-veterans to pay it forward.”

Salute American was started by CEO-founder Pete Kelly, a passionate entrepreneur who wanted to make a difference in people’s lives through the ‘pay-it-forward’ philosophy.  Pete couldn’t think of a more deserving group than U.S. veterans – a band of brothers and sisters with increasingly high unemployment and homelessness rates*.  Salute American became a practical way to help maintain and create jobs in the US for veterans, and to generate ongoing economic success and stronger communities.

“Salute American is more than a name – it’s our mission,” said Pete Kelly, CEO-founder, Better Brands Beverage Co.  “We prove our patriotism by giving back to U.S. veterans who have proudly served their country and paying it forward.”

Since the launch of Salute American, Better Brands Beverage Co. has donated more than $50,000 to veteran’s charities, including: Veteran’s Farm through Work Vessels for Veterans; Farmer Veteran Coalition; Homes for Our Troops; Wish for our Heroes; and Greater St. Louis Honor Flight.

Salute American is pure American from start to finish.  The vodka, which was approved for the USA Certified™ Seal, is made from corn and wheat grains straight from the heartland.  It’s then four times distilled for a smooth and sweet taste that works well mixed or neat.  The canteen-shaped bottle bearing the red, white and blue, was manufactured in Park Hills, Mo., and distilled and bottled in Rochester, NY.

Salute American is currently available in the following markets: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin.  The brand will also launch in Nebraska and North and South Dakota later in 2014.  The suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle is $19.99, which may vary by market.  Salute American Vodka is 80-proof and 40% alcohol by volume.  The brand received a Silver Medal and an 87-point “highly recommended” rating from the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute in the category of “Best Value Vodka $20 and under.”

For more information, please visit www.saluteamerican.com and “like” and “follow” Salute American on facebook www.facebook.com/SaluteAmericanVodka and twitter @SaluteAmerican – https://twitter.com/SaluteAmerican

* According to Labor Department Data, the unemployment rate among male veterans, ages 18-24, is nearly 27%.  There are currently more than 100,000 homeless vets in the US.

About Better Brands Beverage Co.

Privately owned and Midwest-based, Better Brands Beverage Co. is a for-profit company committed to investing in veterans charities that create jobs for veterans.  The Company was founded in 2012 by CEO-founder Pete Kelly who passionately believes in making a difference in people’s lives through the ‘pay-it-forward’ philosophy.

About VFW

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is a nonprofit veterans’ service organization comprised of combat veterans and eligible military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces.  Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is the nation’s largest organization of war veterans and its oldest major veterans’ organization.  With more than 1.9 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in almost 7,000 Posts worldwide, “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS.”  The VFW and its Auxiliaries are dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs worldwide.  For more information or to join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.

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