'Arroz A La Cubanisima' is Voted The Nation's Favorite Rice Dish

Latin America - español

Knorr® announces the grand prizewinner in national recipe competition

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Dec 15, 2010, 08:05 ET

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than six months of searching for the best rice dish in the U.S., Knorr® reveals the winner of its national recipe contest. "Arroz a la Cubanisima," submitted by Elba Isabel Gonzalez of Miami, has won the coveted title of the most arrozisima rice dish! A kindergarten teacher and mother of two, Elba was inspired by the flavors and fond memories of her native Cuba where her grandfather was a chef.

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When it comes to preparing a home-cooked meal, Latinas have been sharing their delicious recipes from generation to generation, with mothers and daughters combining traditional and modern cooking tips. Because rice is an intrinsic and beloved staple of Latino cuisine, Knorr launched Recetas Arrozisimas, a national contest that invited Latinas to share their favorite recipes and, for the first time in the brand's history, be featured on Knorr's label.

When Recetas Arrozisimas launched last March, Knorr began to receive thousands of recipes from families all over the country and by mid-July selected three semifinalists to be featured on its jars of granulated bouillon. As the limited-edition jars hit the shelves at the end of the summer, the public got to savor these new recipes and decide for themselves which recipe would win the most arrozisima rice dish by casting their ballot at KnorrSabor.com for a chance to win daily prizes.

"Given that we are a family brand that has been infusing Hispanic dishes with authentic flavor for decades, our programs have become more focused on information-sharing with our consumers, whether it's exchanging recipes or providing family cooking tips," said Donna Barker, Marketing Director for Knorr. "This was at the heart of our latest initiative, Recetas Arrozisimas – in fact, we shared many tips sent in by consumers on our web site, KnorrSabor.com."

From the beginning of the contest, it was a tight race between the three finalists. But as the voting period came to an end by mid-October and over 70,000 ballots later, Elba Isabel Gonzalez emerged victorious with more than 39 percent of the vote. When Knorr officials notified Elba that she was the grand prize winner, she exclaimed, "Don't tell me that I won! Don't tell me that I won!"

Elba is part of a cooking legacy started by her grandfather who was a head chef at a renowned restaurant in Cuba. As a little girl, she intently watched her mother and grandmother cook and, to this day, uses many of their cooking tips to lovingly prepare nutritious meals for her family. In fact, family is at the center of Elba's life, and she hopes to use the $5,000 prize money to help her extended family in Cuba.

"Our goal for Recetas Arrozisimas was to celebrate the millions of families who have invited us into their home," added Barker. "To be a key component of the dinner table is a privilege for us and we wanted to share these creative and delicious recipes and prominently feature our loyal consumers."

Knorr supported its Recetas Arrozisimas effort with a multimedia, integrated communications campaign that included Spanish-language and in-culture English print advertising, public relations, online activation, social media outreach, signage and in-store events at hundreds of participating retail locations.

For recipes, including the winning "Arroz a la Cubanisima," please visit KnorrSabor.com.

About Knorr

Knorr Bouillon is available in both Granulated and Cube form in flavors that include: chicken, tomato/chicken, beef and others across all major grocery stores and mass retailers. For varieties, recipes and other exciting ways to use Knorr Bouillon, visit www.knorrsabor.com.

About Unilever North America

Unilever works to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. Each day, around the world, we serve over two billion consumers. In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Omo, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com, www.unilever.ca, or www.unilevercaribbean.com.

SOURCE Unilever