The Makers of the Happy Little Plants® Brand to Partner with The World Pizza Champions™ to Bring Plant-Based Proteins to a Pizzeria Near You

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Feb 17, 2022, 08:00 ET

AUSTIN, Minn., Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The makers of the Happy Little Plants^® brand and The World Pizza Champions™, America's #1 Pizza Team^™, are joining forces to fuel the plant-based protein explosion in the pizza world. The two companies will be bringing plant-based protein pizza toppings to menus and events across America in 2022.

The World Pizza Champions™, America’s #1 Pizza Team™, was founded by Tony Gemignani, Michael Shepherd, Siler Chapman, Joe Carlucci, Ken Bryant and Sean Brauser. Since its inception, The World Pizza Champions™ team has grown into a U.S. based non-profit, multinational group made up of elite pizza professionals.

The makers of the Happy Little Plants® brand and The World Pizza Champions™, America’s #1 Pizza Team™, are joining forces to fuel the plant-based protein explosion in the pizza world.

"The maker of the Happy Little Plants® brand is thrilled to be the official plant-based pizza topping partner of The World Pizza Champions™ for 2022," said Anthony Panichelli, brand manager for Foodservice at Hormel Foods. "This collaboration will bring plant-forward pizza topping options to team members' restaurants, as well as several events in 2022, including the country's foremost pizza event, Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. We are proud to partner with such a credible and reputable organization to bring this brand to foodservice operators nationwide."

"They have changed the game with Happy Little Plants® plant-based pizza toppings that look, bake, and most importantly, taste like the real thing. It's the first plant-based topping we've ever wanted to put our name behind; it is that great," said Mike Bausch, owner of Andolini's Pizzeria.

As two key players in the pizza industry, the partnership with the makers of the Happy Little Plants® brand and the The World Pizza Champions™ will provide only the best and most innovative plant-based toppings to consumers. The World Pizza Champion™ team members are carefully selected from among world champion competitors and acclaimed industry leaders. Inclusion on the team is through invitation only and is based on skill, character, compatibility, and selfless effort on behalf of the industry.

The Happy Little Plants^®brand was introduced by Hormel Foods in 2019 and celebrates the power of plant protein while offering a great tasting solution for people looking to add more plant-based food into their diet.

For more information on the Happy Little Plants^® brand, please visit https://www.hormelfoodservice.com/brand/happy-little-plants/.

ABOUT THE HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS^® BRAND
The Happy Little Plants^®brand was introduced by Hormel Foods in 2019 and celebrates the power of plant protein while offering a great tasting solution for people looking to add more plant-based food into their diet. For more information about the Happy Little Plants^® brand, please visit https://www.hormelfoodservice.com/brand/happy-little-plants/.

ABOUT THE WORLD PIZZA CHAMPIONS™
The World Pizza Champions^™, America's #1 Pizza Team^™, was founded by Tony Gemignani, Michael Shepherd, Siler Chapman, Joe Carlucci, Ken Bryant and Sean Brauser. Since its inception, The World Pizza Champions^™ team has grown into a U.S. based non-profit, multinational group made up of elite pizza professionals. Through international competition, educational outreach, public demonstrations, and community-based service the team is dedicated to promoting pizza making as a respected craft and viable career choice. For more information about The World Pizza Champions™, please visit https://www.worldpizzachampions.com.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS – INSPIRED PEOPLE. INSPIRED FOOD.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters^®, SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin's^®, Columbus^®, Wholly^®, Hormel^® Black Label^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for the 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://csr.hormelfoods.com/.