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Albany School District First in the Nation to Serve Fizzy Fruit(TM) in Lunch Menus

Bubbly, Innovative Fruit Snack Combines Nutrition and Fun to Encourage Healthy Eating

An innovative fruit snack will be served today during lunch time at select elementary schools in the Greater Albany School District. The Fizzy Fruit(TM) Company in cooperation with Sodexho USA, the leading provider of food and facilities management services, will begin offering a delicious, bubbly fruit product called Fizzy Fruit(TM) to school children.

NOTE: The media is invited to experience Fizzy Fruit(TM) along with school children today, Friday, December 9, at 10 a.m. at Sunrise Elementary School located at 730 19th Ave. SE in Albany, Oregon.

Developed at Oregon's Food Innovation Center, a research center run jointly by Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Agriculture, a patented process adds carbonation to the water that is naturally contained in fruit. Fizzy Fruit(TM) has no preservatives or added sugar and contains the same vitamins and fiber content found in fresh fruit. The result is grapes, apples and oranges that fizz in your mouth.

"Schools across Oregon have been working hard to improve school nutrition and help children make educated, healthful choices when it comes to food," said Joyce Dougherty, Child Nutrition Programs Director, Oregon Department of Education. "It is important that kids eat more fruits and vegetables."

Many parents admit that keeping up with their child's changing tastes is a difficult task. Food service companies are always searching for new products to maintain dining excitement for children. "Children's taste palettes and trends can fluctuate as often as every few years, therefore, we are continually looking for ways to keep lunch time exciting and fresh," said Brian Finn, Director of Marketing for Sodexho School Services.

"By making fruit fun to eat, the aim is to help children enjoy their USDA daily recommended allowance of fruit and lead a healthy lifestyle," said Tammy Marquez-Oldham, CEO, The Fizzy Fruit(TM) Company. "We are excited to partner with Sodexho and the Greater Albany School District to launch Fizzy Fruit(TM) in school lunches and believe our product will make a positive impact in children's lives."

Fizzy Fruit(TM) will be offered in selected school districts through Sodexho, and is not available for commercial purchase. "We are proud to be the first to bring an innovative product like Fizzy Fruit(TM) to schools. Pairing nutrition and fun on the same plate is a tremendous service to kids and that's exactly what Fizzy Fruit(TM) does," said Finn.

For more information and F.A.Q. on Fizzy Fruit(TM), visit www.FizzyFruit.com.

About The Fizzy Fruit(TM) Company

Founded in 2005, The Fizzy Fruit(TM) Company is a private organization dedicated to creating nutritional and educational products that promote health, wellness and fitness. By bringing imagination and nature together, The Fizzy Fruit(TM) Company is providing new and fun ways to encourage children to eat and enjoy nutritious foods. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Further information can be accessed at www.FizzyFruit.com.

About Sodexho

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6.3 billion in annual revenue and 110,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.

Distributed by Market Wire