Centerplate Features Farm Aid's "HOMEGROWN" Menu at Natural Products Expo East

BALTIMORE, Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, America's leading Event Hospitality partner, and industry leader in natural, organic and sustainable hospitality is proud to once again partner with Farm Aid to offer signature menu items at the Natural Products Expo East. Natural Products Expo East will be held at Centerplate's partner venue, the Baltimore Convention Center, and features America's top natural and organic brands, as well as a series of educational panels and lectures for the natural foods community.

Centerplate is honored to be a presenting speaker at Expo East, and will lead an industry-wide discussion on how the natural foods community and food service industry can partner to offer consumers innovative and healthier dining options. One leading example of these partnerships is Farm Aid's HOMEGROWN Concessions® menu, which Centerplate is proud to offer Expo East. The menu includes:

• HOMEGROWN Beef Hot Dog, featuring an organic beef hot dog, produced by Organic Prairie a farmer-owned cooperative served on a fresh-baked, bun made with organic wheat.
• HOMEGROWN Beef Chili, featuring hormone- and antibiotic-free grass-fed beef from Kim and Ann Seeley of Milky Way Farm in Troy, Pennsylvania, along with organic beans and local produce.

To help raise money for Farm Aid, Centerplate is donating $1 per hot dog and $1 per bowl of chili. Centerplate's partnership with Farm Aid has drawn national recognition, and Chief Marketing Officer, Bob Pascal and Senior Vice President of Procurement, Paul Daly will make a presentation to Expo East to discuss Centerplate's efforts to promote natural and organic products in its operations.

"We're thrilled to be recognized as an industry leader in developing partnerships with the natural food community, and we're excited to partner with Farm Aid in a program that benefits family farmers, and the local community," said Pascal. "We want to offer our fans and guests dishes that represent a delicious, local, sustainable take on classic items."

HOMEGROWN Concessions® is a Farm Aid brand, which features food that is sustainably produced by family farmers, identified as non-GMO, local and/or organic while upholding a commitment to a fair price for farmers.

"Farm Aid's HOMEGROWN brand connects people with the family farm source of their food," said Glenda Yoder.  "Farm Aid is proud to be a resource because we know what it takes to bring family farm food to events."

Bringing local flavor to major events is an emerging trend in the hospitality and food service industry. Centerplate is at the forefront of this trend, and identified HOMEGROWN Concessions® as a natural extension of its innovative approaches to improving the fan experience. The partnership began during Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, as Centerplate and Farm Aid partnered on three types of "HOMEGROWN" chili, including the first ever organic entree served at the Super Bowl.

About Centerplate

Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. Last year, the company was named the fastest growing restaurant/ hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com

About Farm Aid

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America that ensures farmers a fair living, strengthens our communities, protects our natural resources and delivers good food for all. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to help farmers thrive and to promote good food from family farms. HOMEGROWN Concessions® brings the experience of tasting good food from family farms into events and venues. On September 22, Farm Aid 2012 in Hershey, PA will feature HOMEGROWN Concessions for 30,000 people. Learn more at www.farmaid.org

SOURCE Centerplate

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