<div><p paraid="1127734040" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{9}">By: Haley Pierce, Manager, FMI Foundation </p></div><div><p paraid="262584780" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{17}"><img sf-image-responsive="true" src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/gold-plate-2025.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=d5ef9d40_1" height="196" style="max-width:calc(100% – 20px);height:auto;float:right;margin:10px;" title="gold plate 2025" width="350" alt="gold plate 2025" class="-align-right" />This past <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals">National Family Meals Month</a>, held in September, saw retailers, wholesalers and suppliers to the food industry unite with one mission: to encourage one more family meal per week. </p></div><div><p paraid="1894233185" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{27}">Organizations from across the food industry made a commitment to more family meals, encouraging community gatherings with chosen family members, innovative recipes from nutritionist and dietitian influencers and donations to school-based food pantries and feeding programs. Beyond the registers, one food retailer donated $200,000, funding one million meals to families facing hunger, and yet another major retailer generated nearly $300,000 to summer feeding programs for students facing food insecurity. Another fantastic case study? A retailer donated 5,000 family-size meals through community giveaway events, directly impacting their local community. </p></div><div><p paraid="443007512" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{87}">While inspiring families to cook and connect is always a valiant goal, food suppliers took this in earnest, forging national partnerships with retailers to promote affordable, convenient meal solutions to the busiest and cost-conscious among us. Suppliers and stores under one banner even contributed to a successful protein-powered campaign, drawing from a timely food trend and encouraging mealtimes with protein-based or infused ingredients as a central focus. </p></div><div><p paraid="1869775993" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{147}">From over 6.7 million impressions for one multi-channel marketing campaign to over 138,000 customers reached with live online cooking videos and in-store family meals-focused magazine features, our Gold Plate Award winners and honorable mentions illuminated the industry and certainly went for the gold for this year’s awards. </p></div><div><p paraid="1201130948" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{171}">The food retailers, suppliers and community members highlighted here will be revealed on the <a href="https://linkly.link/1thPr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gold Plate Awards page</a> on Monday, November 10th – tune in then to celebrate the inspiring Family Meals campaigns and activations from our award winners and honorable mentions! </p></div><div><p paraid="875075759" paraeid="{1c4cdc62-3e99-44b0-a369-92e6a4edecee}{198}">We will also be celebrating the Gold Plate Award winners and honorable mentions on Friday, November 14th at a virtual family meal, where winners are able to talk more about their campaigns and their plans for next year’s Family Meals Month! </p></div><a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/award">Learn More</a>
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