Meredith Corporation, a Des Moines, Iowa-headquartered media and marketing company reaching 100 million American women monthly and more than 60 percent of the nation’s millennial women segment, has announced a multi-year licensing partnership with Bellisio Foods, Inc., for the EatingWell® brand.
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bellisio Foods is one of the USA’s largest and fastest growing frozen food companies. It produces more than 400 products spanning a wide variety of categories, including single- and multi-serve entrees, snacks, side dishes and specialty sauces. While many of Bellisio’s products are branded, among them Michelina’s and Overhill Farms, the company also co-manufactures private label, retail and foodservice items.
“We’re excited to expand on our successful licensing programs with our first licensing partnership for the EatingWell brand,” said Elise Contarsy, vice president of Meredith Brand Licensing. “Licensed products are one of our biggest growth categories, including existing partnerships between Better Homes and Gardens and Walmart, Realogy and FTD, Allrecipes’ partnership with Clipper Corporation on a line of cookware, bakeware and kitchen gadgets, and our recently announced partnership between SHAPE and Apparel Bridge LLC for the SHAPE Active collection of women’s active wear.”
Contarsy noted that this is also Meredith Brand Licensing’s first expansion into the retail consumable food category.
EatingWell frozen products will be available for consumer purchase at supermarkets and retail grocery stores nationwide beginning in the autumn of 2016. At launch, the EatingWell product line will focus on single-serve frozen entrées. Meredith and Bellisio Foods anticipate future food expansion into products such as multi-serve meals, appetizers, side dishes, snacks, vegetables, breakfast items, desserts and breads.
Joel Conner, chairman, ceo and partner of Bellisio Foods, commented: “We’re thrilled to commence this partnership with Meredith. The EatingWell brand is perfectly positioned to help meet the ever increasing demand from our consumers for delicious, authentic and convenient frozen food products that fit their healthful lifestyles.”
“We’re always looking for new ways to engage consumers with our exceptional brand portfolio,” said Tom Witschi, president of Meredith Women’s Lifestyle Group. “This agreement demonstrates the depth and appeal of our media brands, and, in particular, EatingWell’s strong following in the rapidly growing healthy eating marketplace.”
Meredith and Bellisio are collaborating on the selection and development of recipes, with all recipes meeting the health parameters of the EatingWell brand. The editors of EatingWell magazine are providing inspiration and taste-testing expertise throughout the process.
“Our mission is to help make healthy happen every day,” said Jessie Price, editor-in-chief of EatingWell magazine. “As much as we’d like to cook every meal from scratch, we don’t always have the time. When we’re busy, a great-tasting frozen meal that’s healthy and made with good, clean ingredients is an excellent option – and that’s exactly what this new line of EatingWell food will provide.”
Launched in 2002, EatingWell is a leading English language source of science-based nutrition advice, inspiring articles about food, farms and cooking, and delicious, healthy recipes. EatingWell is a fast-growing multimedia brand in the expanding healthy-eating sector. Its core mission is to make healthy eating a joyful way of life. In 2013, EatingWell was named to Advertising Age’s “A-List” as one of the “Top 10 Magazines of the Year.” The brand has also won 13 James Beard awards, with an additional 16 nominations.
