Foster Farms Warns Latino Consumers About a Salty Deception During Tonight's Broadcast of Premios Lo Nuestro

Foster Farms Warns Latino Consumers About a Salty Deception During Tonight's Broadcast of Premios Lo Nuestro

Junk Food-Eating, Salt-Injected, Foster Imposters(R) will dance the night away in entertaining ad campaign while providing important health messages.

LIVINGSTON, Calif., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight, viewers watching the annual Premios Lo Nuestro music awards show might find their attention drawn to a different breed of celebrity. The Foster Imposters return, showing off their latest dance moves, in a new advertising campaign that shines a spotlight on chicken that has been deceptively injected with saltwater, and the consumers who are unknowingly paying for it. "Always natural, always fresh" Foster Farms has become the number one brand among West Coast Latinos and never adds saltwater.

Consumers can waste up to $1.50 per package paying for added saltwater that they thought was fresh chicken, and there are major health concerns as well. New research shows that even one sixth of a teaspoon of added salt a day can have a negative impact on health(1). Unbeknownst to many consumers, that limit may be reached in just one four-ounce serving of "plumped" or saltwater-injected boneless, skinless chicken. Foster Farms nutritionist Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD warns that "high sodium consumption contributes to many diseases, including high blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes--all complications that Latinos have a high risk of developing." It is estimated that almost one in four Latinos have high blood pressure(2).

In "Dancing," the first of two spots created by advertising agency Grupo Gallegos, the pair of seemingly plump Imposters are revealed to be scrawny chickens full of saltwater and are foiled in their attempts to become natural, fresh, locally grown Foster Farms chickens. In "UFO," set to premiere in a few weeks, viewers will see the pair abducted and later rejected by aliens when they discover that the Imposters contain 15 percent injected saltwater.

"We are not talking about chicken that has been pre-marinated or seasoned; the issue is what is advertised or labeled fresh, raw chicken," says Ira Brill, Foster Farms Director of Advertising and Marketing Services. "Our goal is to inform consumers that they need to read labels and be aware that some foods, even traditionally healthy foods like chicken, may have added sodium that is costing them their money and health. Our research shows that Latino consumers prioritize their health and are concerned about what they feed their families. Chicken that's been injected with saltwater can contain up to 700% more sodium than truly natural chicken. When consumers choose Foster Farms fresh chicken, they are paying for natural chicken that represents the quality and value they depend on."

The award-winning Foster Imposters campaign was originally created in 1993 by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners with the Imposters appearing in more than 25 commercials in Spanish and English. In 2006, Grupo Gallegos adapted the original concept and developed a creative campaign specifically for the Latino market. The Imposters exist on a steady junk food diet and embody everything that Foster Farms does not: chicken that's natural, fresh, locally-grown and never injected with saltwater. Additional information about the Foster Imposters can be found at www.FosterFarms.com.

About Foster Farms

Since 1939, West Coast families have depended on Foster Farms for premium quality chicken and turkey products. Family-owned and operated, the company continues its legacy of excellence and commitment to quality established by its founders, Max and Verda Foster. Foster Farms specializes in fresh, all natural chicken and turkey products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers. Based in California's Central Valley, with ranches also in the Pacific Northwest, the company's fresh chicken and turkey are produced in or near each region served. Foster Farms also produces delicious pre-marinated, ready-to-cook and fully cooked products that meet the quality and convenience needs of today's home cooks, retailers, warehouse clubs and foodservice customers. The company's commitment to excellence, honesty, quality, service, and people is a source of great pride, and, a longtime family tradition.

About Grupo Gallegos

Grupo Gallegos, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is an internationally recognized award-winning agency dedicated to understanding and developing integrated marketing strategies for multicultural audiences. Grupo Gallegos' clients include the standard-setting brands of Energizer, Fruit of the Loom, Bally Total Fitness, California Milk Processor Board, Comcast, Valvoline, Foster Farms and Target. Grupo Gallegos can be found at www.grupogallegos.com.

(1) UCSF "Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults" study, March 2009.

(2) American Kidney Fund http://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-health/are-you-at-risk/hispanic-americans.htm l

Source: Foster Farms

CONTACT: Juan F Lezama, jlezama@finemanpr.com, or Marie Gonzalez, both
of Fineman PR, +1-415-392-1000, for Foster Farms

Web Site: http://www.fosterfarms.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: DVD, high-resolution screen shots and interviews are available upon request by contacting Juan F. Lezama at 415-392-1000 ext. 22 or Jlezama@finemanpr.com. Latino consumers can e-mail nutrition questions in English or Spanish to Manuel Villacorta via the Preguntale a Manuel web feature available on the Foster Farms web site www.FosterFarms.com, the site also offers recipes in Spanish and English.

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