Beko Joins with Sponsorship Partner FC Barcelona and UNICEF to Raise $1.21 Million to Fight Childhood Obesity

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Apr 30, 2018, 11:03 ET

BOLINGBROOK, Ill., April 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Beko (bekoappliances.com), the #1 European freestanding home appliance brand recently introduced into the North American market, is embarking on a global mission to help prevent childhood obesity through its Eat Like a Pro campaign, as well as an exciting partnership announced today with UNICEF, existing partner FC Barcelona and the Barca Foundation.

"Childhood obesity is a worldwide issue and we are delighted that three leading global brands are uniting to help tackle the challenge," said Beko US President Hasan Yardimci.

On May 6 in Barcelona, during El Clásico – the most watched domestic club match in the world – Beko will give up brand visibility on the FC Barcelona players’ sleeve to highlight Beko's healthy eating initiative, Eat Like A Pro.

Beko will not only inspire and raise awareness about the global challenge of obesity in childhood, but has a goal to raise 1 million euros (approximately $1.21 million) for UNICEF by encouraging people all over the world to share their healthy eating habits on social media. For each #EatLikeAPro post that appears on Instagram or Twitter, Beko will donate €1 (approximately $1.21) for UNICEF.

The funds raised will help support UNICEF programs that improve the quality of children's diets and reduce rising childhood obesity rates. Globally, if current trends persist, by the year 2025, 70 million children will be suffering from an overweight or obese condition.

In partnership with Beko, UNICEF will implement a program designed to improve the eating habits of 600,000 primary school-age children in Latin America, where an estimated 23 percent of children are overweight or obese. The initiative is designed to provide support and education on the importance of healthy eating at home and in schools for children's healthy growth and development.

In support of the donation activity, on May 6 in Barcelona, during El Clásico – the most watched domestic club match in the world – Beko will give up brand visibility on the FC Barcelona players' sleeve to highlight its healthy eating initiative, Eat Like A Pro (ELAP). The aim of the ELAP campaign is to grant families access to the eating habits of the team's finest players educating parents and children from around the world about the importance of a healthy diet and a balanced lifestyle. The all-star FC Barcelona team is an inspiration to millions of children around the world and, as heroes for so many young people, will help to encourage children to eat healthier and look after themselves through a balanced and nutritious diet and physical exercise.

Yardimci said, "Beko is tackling the childhood obesity problem through its use of innovative technologies that make healthy eating easier, while raising awareness and donations for UNICEF with FC Barcelona through a social call to action and the sleeve reveal at this year's El Clásico match."

Those sharing their healthy eating posts on social will also have a chance to win a limited edition signed FC Barcelona training and match day shirts, featuring #EatLikeAPro from El Clasico week. Barça Foundation will support this campaign through its media channels, which have five million followers around the world.

Jordi Cardoner, vice president of FC Barcelona and Barça Foundation, said, "In all our programs that use the FutbolNet methodology, and that are reaching 120,000 children and youth around the world, we use the physical activity and the value of respect, in this case respect towards oneself, to reinforce healthy habits."

UNICEF strives to eliminate hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition in children on a global scale. Victor Aguayo, chief of UNICEF Global Nutrition Programme, comments, "Childhood obesity is increasingly affecting the poorer families and countries, largely due to diets that do not provide children all the nutrients they need to grow healthy. We welcome the support of our partners Beko and FC Barcelona, who will work closely with us to bring about positive change for children globally."

Beko US Inc. was founded in June 2016 and has a distribution center in Bolingbrook, Ill.

SOURCE Beko