Students from Leoti Junior High School won the Healthy Kids dance challenge nationwide competition and as part of their prize, Disney star Sabrina Bryan made an appearance to showcase how dance can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

It’s dancing with the stars come to real life for the students as Bryan taught them how to hip-hop, “Bollywood” and MORE with some cool moves from her BYou2 instructional dance video.

"These kids were great,” Bryan said. “They picked up the material really well, and I think we all really had a lot of fun.”

“Schools contact us all the time looking for fundraising ideas. We created Dance for Health™ as a FUNdraiser, a means of enjoying active play while raising funds for healthy programming for kids,” explained Vickie James, RD, LD, director of Healthy Kids Challenge. HKC is a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to helping leaders take action to support kids and families in making healthy eating and physical activity choices.

The students at Wichita County junior high school beat out 200 other schools across the nation by raising $5,000 that they will use to purchase play equipment.

"The fact that the kids here got together in raising such an amazing amount of money for their program just says a lot about the leadership in this school,” Bryan said.

Besides teaching the kids dance moves, Bryan also talked to them about living a healthy lifestyle and the importance of balancing nutrition and physical activity.

"She told us a lot about eating healthy and just doing a lot of healthy things,” said one student.

"I think that being healthy is a part of getting yourself into a lifestyle that is going to allow you to reach those big dreams that you have,” Bryan said.

And it’s an experience many of the students believe will have a great impact on their lives and their community.

"It was amazing that we won because it's national and I'm just glad that we all had this opportunity and maybe it will change something in Leoti,” said student Allison Miller.

The Healthy Kids Challenge held its first Dance for Health™ contest last October and is already preparing for the fall 2009 Dance for Health™ event.

“It’s never too early to contact us to get ready for next year,” said James. “Visit www.danceforhealth.org or www.healthykidschallenge.org to get a head start.”

You know the students in Leoti, Kansas will be!

Healthy Kids Dance for Health™ was nationally sponsored by Mission Foods and CIGNA, partners in health with Healthy Kids Challenge.

The planet’s greatest celebrity chefs and personalities will partner up with health professionals, trainers and fitness experts to cook up advocacy and attention to this important cause—promoting a healthy lifestyle!

Located in the activity area, Destination Food, Healthy Kids Challenge and sponsors, Mission Foods and Cabot Creamery, will host an interactive walk through the food guide pyramid. Kids and their families will have the opportunity to explore each food group with their senses, as well as enjoy active FUN at the physical activity section of "MyPyramid".

Healthy Kids Challenge, a nonprofit, is led by registered, licensed dietitians dedicated to helping leaders take action to support kids and families in making healthy eating and physical activity choices. Eat, Move, Enjoy Balance™ is HKC’s signature theme, encouraging enjoyment of healthy eating and physical activity as part of a daily lifestyle. Helping kids and families have fun and learn by doing is all part of the HKC educational way teaching healthy lifestyle skills.

"Mission aims to increase awareness about the importance of physical activity and nutrition by joining with HKC to support its objective of helping students make a healthy difference in their lives," said Tom Gray, Senior Brand Director for Mission Foods. "We recognize the value of providing busy moms with a variety of tortilla products that will meet their need of creating delicious and healthy meals for their families."

"We love that HKC promotes healthy eating by encouraging interactive learning." said Sara Wing, Dietitian and Health Programs Manager for Cabot Creamery. "Cabot has been educating youth about healthy eating and building strong bodies for over a decade and partnering with HKC was a natural fit."

Visit the Healthy Kids Challenge website at www.healthykidschallenge.org or our partners – Mission Foods http://www.missionmenus.com or Cabot Creamery http://www.cabotcheese.com.

As part of its efforts to help families make better food choices, Mission has joined forces with nationally recognized family health and fitness expert Andrea Metcalf. For more than 25 years, this mother of three has inspired people from all walks of life to get fit, eat right and feel better by making simple lifestyle changes in their lives. The alliance offers Mission a unique opportunity to provide consumers with nutritional counseling, exercise tips, motivation and information that will help create a more balanced life.

"Making the right food choices is the key to good health and weight loss and that’s why I have teamed up with Mission Foods to help people change the way they think about living," said Metcalf. "Simple changes are vital to success and that’s why I like using tortillas during mealtimes because their versatility, portability, variety of healthy choices and great taste make them appealing to folks like me with busy schedules who are looking for easy solutions in the kitchen." The tortilla industry is reaching outside the growing Hispanic population to a new base of consumers that are entering the category due in part to the explosion in wraps and tortilla menu items at quick service and fast casual dine-in restaurants. At the same time, the popularity of functional foods, which are packed with more nutritional substance, continues to increase as Americans grow more concerned about obesity and other critical health issues.

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. Overweight and obese individuals are at an increased risk for many diseases and health conditions, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, strokes and some forms of cancer. Prior introductions such as Mission’s Multigrain, 96% Fat Free and Carb Balance products have helped families view tortillas in a different light and allowed them to use these products in new, healthier ways.

Mission Life Balance tortillas provide as much calcium as a glass of milk and are an ideal food alternative for those who struggle to meet their daily calcium intake or may be lactose intolerant. Life Balance tortillas are also a great source of fiber and are enriched with 23 vitamins and minerals, including life’sDHA™ , a vegetarian source of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA.

The Food and Drug Administration has determined there is supportive scientific evidence that suggests a reduction in coronary heart disease as a result of eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Based on recent studies, the American Heart Association has also stated that individuals at risk for coronary heart disease would benefit from the consumption of plant- and marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids. life'sDHA™, a natural vegetarian source of DHA omega-3 fatty acids, meets both Kosher and Halal food standards and because it is not from fish, there is no risk of ocean-borne pollutants, which has become a concern for many Americans.

"Overall, better-for-you products have continued to gain momentum in the tortilla industry as consumers are placing an even greater emphasis on providing their families with simple, yet healthy and well-balanced meals," said Alberto Gonzalez, vice president of marketing for Mission Foods. "Mission’s new Life Balance tortillas will make it even easier for families to incorporate healthier foods into their daily diets."

This December, those looking to start the New Year off right can visit www.missionmenus.com and sign up for Metcalf’s 60 Day Mission Life Balance Challenge. For eight weeks starting in January 2009, participants will receive a weekly e-mail from Metcalf, which will include tips and tools to educate and inspire healthy living, along with easy-to-prepare, healthy recipe ideas. Those who join the program will be asked to answer a short list of questions at the beginning and end of the challenge in order to measure their success, which will not only take into account weight loss but consider improvements to other facets of daily life including more family time, more energy and less stress.

Life Balance tortillas are available in regular flour and whole wheat varieties in a ten-count soft taco (8") size. For more information on Mission Foods and other Tortilla Plus products, log onto www.missionmenus.com.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

Download Mission 60-Day Life Balance Challenge Press Kit

Sign up for the 60 Day Life Balance Challenge

Dance for Health™ is a national celebration of dance as a healthy activity for the entire family. The goal is to raise healthy lifestyle awareness and get kids and adults moving through dance. Schools and youth organizations are invited to participate this fall in Healthy Kids Dance for Health™. Registration is open now through September at www.healthykidsdance.org.

"Healthy Kids Dance for Health™ will provide schools and youth programs a way to raise funds to further healthy eating and physical activity programs and events locally. Funds raised also earn healthy incentives for their efforts" said Healthy Kids Challenge Executive Director, Vickie James, RD, LD. "Schools have been asked to establish wellness policies and create a healthier environment and yet there's often limited funding to support healthy changes," said James. "We're offering a pathway that can educate kids and families, offer active fun, and earn funds all at the same time."

The event was announced this week to allow schools and youth programs to put it on their planning calendars for back to school in the fall. Local organizing teams can choose any date the month of October for their local Dance for Health™ event. Kids and families collect donations to support the dance-a-thon, and then enjoy dances of all kinds during the special event. Toolkits will be mailed out to participating schools and programs to help them plan an awesome event.

National sponsors of Healthy Kids Dance for Health™ are CIGNA and Mission Foods. CIGNA has joined with Healthy Kids Challenge to develop and co-brand programs that drive behavioral change among elementary age kids and their families in an effort to increase healthy eating choices and physical activity.

"Dance is a fantastic way to exercise. With childhood obesity at records highs, we need to find innovative ways to get kids moving. As a health services company, CIGNA is eager to help people improve their health and well-being. We are happy to support organizations like Healthy Kids Challenge and Healthy Kids Dance for Health," said David Ferris, CIGNA Medical Director for Clinical Programs.

The school or program raising the most funds will receive a guest appearance (A Day of Dance) from HKC national spokesperson Sabrina Bryan. Bryan is a member of the multi-platinum recording act The Cheetah Girls as well as star of the highly successful Disney movie series of the same name. This Day of Dance will be presented by Healthy Kids Challenge’s partner in health, CIGNA. Mission Foods, one of the leading tortilla manufacturers in the U.S., along with spokesperson Bryan, are helping Healthy Kids Challenge deliver healthy eating messages about simple, nutritious snacks and meals using products like whole grain tortillas.

To learn more about Healthy Kids Dance for Health™, visit www.healthykidsdance.org. Information about the Healthy Kids Challenge is available at www.healthykidschallenge.org.

About CIGNA
CIGNA HealthCare, a health service organization based in Bloomfield, CT, works to improve the health, well-being and security of the people we serve. A leading provider of employee benefit services and programs, CIGNA HealthCare offers a broad array of medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy benefits plans and coverage. We also build and provide health and wellness coaching programs and consumer information tools designed to improve health and help people in their health care decision-making. "CIGNA HealthCare" and the "Tree of Life" logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI) and its operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. All products and services are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries, and not by CIGNA Corporation. For more information, visit www.cigna.com.

About Mission Foods
Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia.

This collaboration with HKC is part of Mission Foods’ ongoing commitment to align itself with organizations that believe in providing healthy options for all of our children. Mission has been a valuable partner for moms, creating simple yet healthy recipe ideas using tortillas, a product that’s naturally low in fat. Visit Mission Foods’ Web site visit www.missionmenus.com and click on "Tips and Tricks" to hear Sabrina Bryan, HKC's national spokesperson, discuss the importance of healthy eating and learn some of her favorite healthy recipes.

About Healthy Kids Challenge
Originally created in 1998 for Cooking Light Magazine by registered dietitian Vickie James, RD, LD, the non-profit organization began as a pilot program to guide schools in providing easy ways to make healthy changes in the school environment. A national leader, HKC offers simple solutions for incorporating healthy eating and physical activity into daily life anywhere kids and families live, learn, work, and play. For more information, log onto www.healthykidschallenge.org.

Hosted by Mark Summers, Unwrapped travels across the US showing viewers how everyday favorite foods are made. For this episode, the crew of Unwrapped visited Mission Foods’ Dallas plant in November 2007 to shoot video of the process, revealing how the company is able to produce high quality products with a superior taste at a quality price.

According to Mission Foods’ VP of Marketing, Alberto Gonzalez, an opportunity to appear on Unwrapped was one that could not be passed up. "This episode allows Mission Foods to show the world exactly what makes us so special," says Gonzalez. "The company has a unique synergy of the best people, finest ingredients and best technology in the industry that, when combined, creates a company that is greater than the sum of its parts."

Mission Foods has partnered with American moms to provide nutritious, quick and easy meals using tortillas, one of the most versatile items in their kitchen pantries. And for those Mission recipes that contain corn tortillas, moms will appreciate that they're naturally low fat and a good source of fiber. For recipe ideas, log onto missionmenus.com.

The episode of Unwrapped featuring Mission Foods is scheduled to air on the Food Network during the summer of 2008. Check your local listings for the time and date of the program in your area.

About Mission Foods
Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

According to several studies, more than 90 percent of Americans indulge in a snack on any given day making it an estimated $90 billion dollar industry. However a growing number of consumers are becoming more "label conscious," demanding snacks that contain zero grams of trans fat but still taste great. Mission has had a long and successful history of responding to the changing needs of its consumers.

"Our consumers want snacks that provide a quick energy boost but are also good for you," explains Tom Gray, Senior Marketing Director at Mission Foods. "Our consumers are loyal and when they ask for more products that can fit into their lifestyles, we respond. The new snacks are part of a variety of Mission products which already contain zero trans fat per serving."

Now available nationwide:

Now available in grocery stores in Texas and the Western and North Central US:

In addition to an extensive line of chips and snack products, Mission Foods is well-known for its wide variety of tortillas including multi-grain, low-carb flour and whole wheat and 96% fat-free flour and whole wheat, as well as flavored wraps such as sun dried tomato basil, spinach and garlic herb. Mission has been partnering with moms to provide quick, easy meal using tortillas, one of the most versatile items in their kitchen pantries. And for those Mission recipes that contain corn tortillas, moms will appreciate that they're naturally low fat and a good source of fiber. For great recipes and other snack ideas, log on to missionmenus.com.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

Sabrina Bryan, a member of the multi-platinum recording act The Cheetah Girls as well as star of the highly successful Disney movie series of the same name, is partnering with Mission Foods in the fight against childhood obesity. With today’s busy families finding fewer free moments to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals, Sabrina and Mission Foods have teamed up to show teenagers and their moms how to make quick, easy and nutritious meals using one of the most versatile items in their kitchen pantries, tortillas.

“Students these days are bombarded with lots of unhealthy choices,” explains Bryan. “That’s what attracted me to partnering with Mission Foods. We’re both committed to providing the resources and nutritional elements for a healthy lifestyle. And at missionmenus.com there are tons of great tasting, easy and nutritious tortillas recipes that kids of all ages can enjoy.”

The pop star is also the national spokesperson for Healthy Kids Challenge (HKC), a non-profit organization which promotes healthy eating and lifestyle to school-aged children all over the US. This fall, Healthy Kids Challenge introduces its first large-scale national event, “Healthy Kids Dance for Health,” sponsored by Mission Foods. It’s an initiative and fundraising campaign to promote staying fit using dance. As many as 2200 schools in 200 cities are expected to participate and events that raise the most money will be eligible to win great prizes.

“Obesity tends to persist through life,” says Vickie James, a registered dietitian and founder of the Healthy Kids Challenge. “Our mission is to help all kids, regardless of weight, have more opportunities and develop healthy habits with eating and physical activity.”

Mission Foods will also be sponsoring HKC’s Kids C.A.N. Recipe Challenge, an annual recipe contest for 7th & 8th grade classes across the U.S at the beginning of each school year. It helps kids learn the fundamentals of how to make healthy choices for themselves.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma SAB, a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

About Healthy Kids Challenge

Originally created in 1998 for Cooking Light Magazine by nutritionist and registered dietitian Vickie James, RD, LD, the non-profit organization began as a pilot program to guide schools in providing kids with simple and fun ways to support healthy eating and physical activity lifestyle habits. For more information, log onto www.healthykidschallenge.org.

¹According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

²2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

The Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods and 1, 2, 3…Healthy Me joint programs kick off January 29, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at the Galloway School in Atlanta. Two more programs will take place February and March in recognition of National Nutrition Month. Targeting elementary schools in the Metro Atlanta area, the Hawks & Thrashers school assembly program is conducted in over 50 schools this season. As part of the three joint school assemblies, Chef Marvin will ‘drop knowledge’ on how foods and new flavors can make eating fun, exciting - and healthy - for kids and their families. He also will showcase simple yet nutritious recipes using Mission Foods tortillas.

"We were very eager to partner with Chef Marvin and support his mission to teach students the keys to better living through food," says David Garrett, Mission Foods Vice President of Marketing. "Our multi-grain and 96% fat free heart healthy tortillas are perfect for kid-friendly meals and the inventive recipes of Chef Marvin."

Childhood obesity is on the rise, affecting nearly 25 million kids and teens in the U.S., (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). Mission Foods & Chef Marvin believe there are simple steps that every family can adopt to live and eat better.

In response to the escalating crises of childhood obesity and other children’s health issues, Chef Marvin developed the Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods program with the support of the Atlanta Public School System, engaging students in round table discussions to learn about their eating habits and share new ways to improve how and what they eat.

A Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods workbook will be handed out at each of the school assemblies, which will include Chef Marvin’s grocery list, ‘in the know’ fun food facts and two fun recipes every family should have to make delicious and nutritious meals. Tortillas are a favorite among kids and Chef Marvin has created easy-to-make recipes, like the Smoked Turkey, Red Delicious Apple and Cottage Cheese wrap. Starting in February, kids and their families can log onto Mission Food’s website, missionmenus.com to see Chef Marvin preparing that recipe and a other simple and healthy recipes using Mission Foods tortillas. Missionmenus.com already provides moms with simple yet healthy and time-saving recipe ideas the entire family will enjoy.

Chef Marvin Woods has 24 years of experience at some of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants, including The Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center, Café Beulah in New York and Savannah and The National Hotel in South Beach. He is best known through Turner South’s wildly popular “Home Plate.” He has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN and the Discovery Channel as well as in O Magazine, Southern Living and Food & Wine. 

Mission Foods’ collaboration with Chef Marvin demonstrates the innovative thinking that is at the heart of the Mission’s culture. The alliance offers a unique opportunity to enhance the Mission brand, while encouraging new and inventive uses for its extensive line of tortillas.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A.B. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

Droppin’ Knowledge^TM with Chef Marvin Woods

Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods is a wellness program designed to help kids and their families live better – through food. Created by Chef Marvin Woods, Emmy® Award-nominated host of Turner South’s wildly popular Home Plate and author of heralded cookbooks, Home Plate Cooking (Rutledge Hill) and The New Low Country (William Morrow), Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods espouses, “The More We Know, the Better We’ll Eat.” The program aims to unify the entire community (parents, teachers, corporations, government leaders, food companies) in an entertaining and motivating way to make a positive difference in the overall health of children, including childhood obesity and teenage diabetes. Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods began in select Atlanta Public Schools (APS) in November 2006 and expanded into all APS high schools in September 2007 through a partnership with Sodexho USA. For more information on Droppin’ Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods, go to www.marvinwoods.net or call 404-606-0611.

1, 2, 3…Healthy Me 

The Atlanta Hawks & Thrashers joined forces to create an exciting school assembly program that focuses on the importance of reading, healthy eating habits and staying fit! Targeting elementary schools in the Metro Atlanta area, the 45-minute program features Hawks and Thrashers staff, dance team members and mascots. Each participating school receives a donation of 50 books for the media center and each student receives a Healthy Me book and vouchers for two free tickets to a Hawks and Thrashers game. In 2006-07, 70 assemblies were conducted reaching 41,000 students. For more information go to www.hawks.com or www.atlantathrashers.com.

“We’re committed to providing a creative yet easy-to-use on-line experience to stay in line with consumers’ needs and expectations,” says David Garrett, Vice President of Marketing for Mission Foods. “Our content reflects the newest food trends and inspired meal solution ideas for the entire family.”

Missionmenus.com has a catalog of hundreds of simple, creative and delicious recipe ideas which include grocery lists with moms in mind to show the versatility and healthy benefits of tortillas. Webisodes provide one-on-one instruction from acclaimed chefs and the tips and tricks page provide seasonal hints and coupons that are favorites among moms and weekend chefs. One of the newest features, the unique recipe-sharing component, has created a community among the 50,000 plus monthly visitors.

The site was designed by Slingshot, a Dallas-based advertising agency. MissionMenus.com was judged on a point scale in areas of design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use. Web Marketing Association gives its annual WebAwards recognizing the best web sites in 96 industries.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A.B. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

Five years ago, the wrap became the sandwich sensation and restaurants expanded their menus by adding recipes that include tortilla wraps. Now, nearly all U-S fast food chains serve tortillas on their menus and sales of tortillas are booming, doubling in the last decade to over $6 billion^[1].

Wraps became a dieters’ dream as health-conscious consumers filled them with all sorts of lean meats and vegetables for a healthy meal option. And the low-carb/Atkins craze in 2004 helped redefine the importance of eating whole grain foods. The tortilla category is one of the only carb categories that continue to show growth, while most high-carb categories are declining in sales, according to AC Nielsen. Even Mission Foods® sales for their top selling low-carb tortilla product are higher this year than the same time last year.

 Mission Foods, one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States, produces tortillas around the world. Its wide variety of tortillas include multi-grain, low-carb and 96% fat-free, and flavored wraps such as sun dried tomato basil, spinach and garlic herb.

Consumers are demanding more portable, versatile meal solutions and are experimenting with the versatility of the tortilla, creating delicious inventive recipes such as tortilla manicotti and quesadilla pizzas or creating quick, easy healthy snacks like tuna wraps or breakfast burritos.

So whether you’re on-the-go, in search of portable, quick, healthy tortilla ideas, or a mom who wants to expand her children’s back to school lunch and snack ideas, just log onto www.missionmenus.com for some wholesome, simple solutions.

Tortilla Facts:

• The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) estimates the retail tortilla category is a $2.12 billion market in the U-S.

• 62 percent of food industry suppliers —both commercial and non-commercial—reported using tortillas in their operations.^[2]

• The Tortilla Category is projected to grow 5-10% over the next few years, according to the TIA.

• Gruma, the parent company of Mission Foods, revolutionized the tortilla-making process by creating Maseca corn flour that allowed for convenient mass production of corn tortillas while preserving their authentic taste. And this process is still being used today.

• All of Mission Foods’ 19 U-S plants are certified as kosher.

• The word “tortilla” comes from the Spanish word “torta” which means round cake.

• According to Mayan legend, tortillas were invented by a peasant for his hungry king in ancient times. The first tortillas, which date approximately 10,000 years before Christ, were made of native corn with dried kernel.

• NASA has used flour tortillas on Space shuttle missions since the 1980s. They use tortillas in the place of bread because of the easy clean-up and because the bread crumbs can cause a lot of trouble in space.

Nutritional Information:

• Flour tortillas are a low-fat food and contain iron along with other B vitamins. They have about 115 calories with 2 to 3 grams of fat per serving.

• Corn tortillas are a naturally low-fat, low sodium food and contain calcium, potassium and fiber. An average serving contains about 60 calories and only 1 gram of fat.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas, and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A.B. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. Mission has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information please visit www.missionmenus.com.

^[2] According to the Tortilla Foodservice Usage Study commissioned by the Tortilla Industry Association in 2004

According to the LNC, the traditional Latin-American diet offers an incredible array of delicious, healthy foods. The Camino Mágico is designed to help Hispanics recapture or maintain their health by eating traditional foods. The guide includes the Latin American Food Pyramid which is based on ingredients that are native and familiar to the Latino culture.

“From inspiration and planning, to purchasing and preparing foods, this pamphlet provides the Hispanic community with key information they need to improve their shopping habits,” explains Liz Mintz, LNC Program Manager.

Hispanic Americans suffer disproportionately from many food-related health problems. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, obesity rates of U.S. Hispanics doubled between 1991 and 2001 rising from 11.6 percent to 23.7 percent and with that comes weight-related diseases—more than 10 percent of all Mexican Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes. The partnership between Mission Foods and the LNC embraces a common mission to help Hispanic Americans make better decisions about what they eat.

“We’re trying to get people talking about what we should be eating, and to focus on more traditional and healthier foods based on the Latin American Food Pyramid rather than big quantities of cheap food,” says Dave Garrett, VP of Marketing at Mission Foods. “We wanted to create awareness in the community and inspire people to eat healthy.”

For more information on the Camino Mágico booklet and the partnership between Mission Foods and the Latino Nutrition Coalition, log onto www.latinonutrition.org or www.missionmenus.com

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas, and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A.B. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. Mission has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information please visit www.missionmenus.com.

About Latino Nutrition Coalition

The Latino Nutrition Coalition (LNC) is an educational consortium dedicated to improving Latino health through traditional foods and lifestyles. It was founded in 2005 by Oldways, the non-profit food issues think tank that develops and carries out education programs and events to help consumers make wise choices about eating, drinking, lifestyle and the traditional pleasures of the table. These programs embrace sound principles of nutrition, sustainable farming, energy balance, managing food and drink choices, and regular physical activity.

Food IQ brings a passion for understanding which inventive culinary creations will resonate with our customers,” explains David Garrett, Vice President of Marketing for Mission Foods. “We’ve already seen a tremendous response from their creative recipe ideas now featured on missionmenus.com.”

Food IQ helps Mission Foods evaluate food and social trends to better understand consumers’ demands for versatile and inspired meal solution ideas. They provide insightful, fresh and innovative promotional ideas to help Mission become a trusted partner for busy moms.

“Utilizing consumer needs and drivers as the foundation, Food IQ provides product, recipe and usage ideas to help Mission become a trusted partner for mom,” says Chef Corliss. “Having a firm understanding of the consumer and what motivates them is the basis for all we do.”

“Food IQ believes that our best work is always ahead of us; we are in perpetual motion and always thinking young,” says Chef Corliss. “We’re excited to work side by side with Mission and provide strategic planning to help them meet their growing consumer demands for easy yet customized, high-flavored and globally inspired foods.”

To better maximize Mission’s recent makeover of its web site, Food IQ developed, tested and added to the site’s existing catalog of hundreds of simple, creative and delicious recipe ideas. The online recipes show time-starved moms and weekend chefs the versatility and health benefits of utilizing tortillas in their culinary creations. In addition to traditional Hispanic fare, Food IQ also presents ethnically diverse menu options and emphasizes how Mission products can be used in breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacking. The recipes are featured on www.missionmenus.com alongside grocery lists and tools that help visitors choose the perfect recipe for their specific needs.

Mission has already experienced a boost in visitation to its newly expanded site, driven in large part by its recipe-sharing component as time-starved consumers seek out new, creative and easy-to-prepare menu options for their families. More than 50,000 users visit the web site monthly. The company’s new partnership with Food IQ promises further offerings to address online trends in the food industry as savvy consumers look to food websites for recipes and social interaction.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma SAB, a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

The alliance between the two embraces a common mission to provide busy families with simple yet creative meal ideas. Dinners today are informal and feature relaxed recipes that are full of flavor but do not require precision cooking or lengthy prep work. The goal of the modern-day family is to get dinner on the table any way possible, so simplicity and speed are key factors in menu selection for dinners cooked at home. And it’s not just mom in the kitchen these days. American men in dual-income families handle one third of shopping and meal preparation (MSN, 10/05).

“Salads are meals, sandwiches and quesadillas qualify as respectable grown-up dinners (or breakfasts or lunches, for that matter), and eggs can be eaten any time of day,” Foster says. Her latest cookbook sheds new light on the tortilla with such delicious recipes as Barbecued Chicken and Chickpea Quesadillas, Pan-Seared Tuna Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa, and Breakfast Tostadas with Fried Eggs and Guacamole. Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking (Clarkson Potter, March 2007, $35 hardcover) has ranked in the Top 25 on Amazon since its release a few weeks ago.

Foster is one of the country’s most beloved and respected experts on simple, honest food. She has authored three cookbooks and has appeared on the Today Show and From Martha’s Kitchen. A contributing editor to Cottage Living, Foster also has been featured in such publications as the New York Times, Bon Appetit and Martha Stewart Living.

Foster and executives at Mission agree that satisfying meals should not take all day to make. Foster’s cookbook presents 100 everyday recipes that represent what people really want to cook and eat, while incorporating the changing trends in cooking, health and entertaining.

A favorite amongst children and adults, tortillas rank second in sales of bread products, outranking all other ethnic breads such as bagels, English muffins and pita bread, according to the Tortilla Industry Association. The tortillas versatility makes it easy to incorporate into meals and snacks in non-traditional ways, such as wraps, pizza crust, pasta substitute or as a replacement for the traditional hamburger or hot dog bun.

Many moms fear family disapproval of new recipes, which may be exacerbated after exhaustive meal preparation. Combining a well-liked factor – the tortilla – with something new or tried-and-true minimizes the risk of rejection and lends to the stress-free home environment that families seek. Mission’s Chef Corliss has already done some “outside the bag” thinking with creative menu options like Tortilla Manicotti, Crunchy Chicken Dinner and Turkey Pizza, as well as Mexican-inspired favorites.

The company’s new, expanded website has helped to position Mission as a culinary leader in the online world, attracting over 50,000 visitors monthly. Serving as a useful and innovative resource for families, www.missionmenus.com features recipes alongside grocery lists and tools that help visitors choose the perfect recipe for their specific needs.

The company’s collaboration with Chef, Entrepreneur and Cookbook Author Sara Foster exemplifies the innovative thinking that is at the heart of the Mission’s culture. The alliance offers a unique opportunity to enhance the Mission brand, while encouraging new and inventive uses for its extensive line of flour tortillas.

About Mission Foods

Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma SAB, a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com.

About Sara Foster

After working as a chef for Martha Stewart’s catering company in the 1980s, Sara Foster moved to Durham, North Carolina to open Foster’s Market, a cheerful, country-style market that serves upward of 1,000 people daily. In 1998, she opened a second market in Chapel Hill. Sara has written two previous cookbooks: The Foster’s Market Cookbook: Favorite Recipes for Morning, Noon, and Night (Random House, 2002) and Fresh Everyday: More Great Recipes from Foster’s Market (Clarkson Potter, 2005.) Sara has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Southern Living, and Martha Stewart Living Magazine. She is a contributing food editor for Cottage Living.

Mission officially opened the newest plant September 21 with a celebration that included costumed dancers dressed like a dragon, part of a Chinese ritual. The dancers moved throughout the plant, in a ceremony meant to remove any bad spirits or bad influences. For additional good luck, the Chinese employees have already nicknamed the plant the “Mission Dragon.”

The new plant is nearly 96,000 square feet, and includes a research kitchen that Juan Gonzalez, President and CEO of the Gruma Asia & Oceania division, says is more extensive than any other throughout the entire company.

“A group of chefs worked with us to design this kitchen and select the equipment we needed to develop new recipes and new products,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “New product development is a number one priority for us, to drive sales in new markets, and we needed the most modern kitchen possible to do that.”

In addition, Mr. Gonzalez said, Mission Shanghai hired a chef from China’s capital, Beijing. The chef has extensive experience working in global cuisines, including seven years at the Mexican Embassy in Beijing. Part of the chef’s role in the research kitchen will be to create recipes and research new products that appeal to the Asian culture and tastes.

Mr. Gonzalez said that Mission Foods selected Shanghai for the new plant because of the city’s seaport and because it is China’s most modern city. From Shanghai, Mission will be able to ship products to other Asian countries, such as Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.

The plant, which produces wheat flour and corn flour tortillas and tortilla chips, is adding personnel with a goal of reaching 148 employees by the end of this year. Its initial focus has been on meeting the needs of restaurant customers, with retail to follow, but the growth of Mission’s restaurant customers in China should help keep the plant busy.

Thanks to the growing Chinese economy, Mission restaurant customers such as Taco Bell, KFC, TGI Friday’s, and Chili’s have been rapidly opening outlets in major cities. Mr. Gonzalez noted that there are already 1,500 KFC restaurants in China, and that number is expected to double by 2008, the year that China hosts the Olympics.

Construction began in May on the Mission Shanghai facility, and thanks to two construction work shifts, it was completed in just four and a half months. It is located in an industrial park in Pudong, just south of the city of Shanghai, in Fengxian Province. As it services our Asian customers, it has eased some of the pressure on the Rancho plant in California, which has been the source of products for that market.

The plant is the first new plant in the new Asia & Oceania division. Mission Foods also has operations in Australia, but took over existing facilities there until a new plant can be built. Leading the plant is Vice President of Operations Armando Strozzi, who relocated to China from the Rancho plant. Heading research and development is Javier Rangel, and leading customer service and sales is Jonathan Ley. The Chief Financial Officer is Sam Masri, Controller is Carol Fang, and the Senior Vice President of Food Service Sales is Lucio Kreimer.

Mr. Gonzalez thanked a number of individuals whose efforts helped complete the Mission Shanghai plant on time. He mentioned the hard work of Noori Jawad, Director of Project Engineering; Fernando Mena, Project Engineer; and Carmen Olson, Corporate QA. Others mentioned were Jose Giraldo, Dallas; Cesar Estrada, Tempe; Daniel Padilla, Rancho; Domingo Torrres, Rancho; Samuel Lemus, Rancho; and Rosalia Alfaro, Fort Worth. In addition, assistance was provided by these four men from Tecnomaiz in Monterrey, Mexico: Gumaro Lozano Tamez, Jose Radamez Ortiz, Jorge Hernandez Luna, and Martin Briones Carrera.

Mr. Gonzalez also thanked these individuals from Monterrey who implemented the SAP system at Shanghai: Juan Carlos Vela Benavides, Reynaldo Camacho Mora, Juan Pedro Borbón, César Villarreal López, Rubén Aguilar, Julio Rosa Manzano, Primitivo Martínez Silos, Sergio Ibarra, Fernando Gamboa, Otoniel Treviño, Edgar Sosa Rojas, Humberto Reyes Luján, and Santiago Alvarado.

As part of this venture, earlier this year, Gruma successfully acquired Rosita’s in Bendigo, Victoria (Australia), a 12-year-old, $22 million company that was the leading tortilla producer in Australia. In April, Gruma acquired a second company in Australia, Oz Mex Foods of Seaford, Victoria. Oz Mex Foods, a $7 million company, specialized in private label products as taco shells, flour tortillas, salsas, and seasonings.

Gruma is currently acquiring property in an industrial park in Melbourne, Australia for a new facility, and will move production from Rosita’s and Oz Mex Foods to the newer, more central location. Construction begins this fall, with opening planned for July 2007, with 150 employees.

Gruma’s goal is to expand in the next three years to a second location in Sydney, Australia.

McDonald’s looked at eight tortilla companies throughout the country before choosing Mission Foods to provide 42 percent of the business. That makes us their primary tortilla supplier with four other suppliers sharing the remaining portion of the business.

McDonald’s will launch a snack wrap sandwich nationally on August 1. It will be heavily marketed on both television and radio. The wrap will include an eight-inch tortilla with chicken, lettuce, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing. After six months of continuous effort, the snack wrap project has been one of the fastest product launches in McDonald’s history.

As we produce these no-preservative wraps, we will freeze them and ship them throughout the country. We expect to produce some 190 million tortillas for McDonald’s, the nation’s largest restaurant chain.

“This was the single largest account acquisition in the history of the Foodservice Division of Mission Foods,” said John La Chance, VP of National Accounts. “Fernando Morales, National Accounts Manager, did an outstanding job in coordinating the various departments to secure the business.”

The departments of Research and Development, Total Quality, Supply Chain, and Sales and Manufacturing displayed a tremendous amount of team effort to help us win the McDonald’s account.

Five Mission Foods plants will be involved in the national rollout: Tempe, Rancho Cucamonga, Fife, Mountaintop, and Jefferson. Our first production took place the week of June 19. Outside warehouses have been selected at all plants. With the new products anticipated by McDonald’s, we expect to grow and broaden other opportunities with the world-renowned fast food restaurant.

In a feature on the company that accompanied the award, the magazine’s article discusses Gruma’s record growth worldwide and notes that Mission Foods has opened several new plants over the past two years in the U.S., aided by sizable growth in the Hispanic population.

The article also notes how our emphasis on product categories has also spurred growth. When we declared 2003 “the year of the corn tortilla” and introduced an innovative process to improve taste and texture, sales of corn tortillas climbed 26 percent. In 2004, “the year of the wheat tortilla,” we achieved 14 percent growth in wheat tortilla sales. In 2005, with a focus on chips and other fried products, we targeted 11 percent growth.

For 2006, it is “the year of healthy products.” A multi-grain tortilla and a “heart healthy” tortilla with omega-3 fatty acids have been introduced. “If this is what consumers are interested in purchasing, and it is part of the health and wellness trend, then we will be there with our products,” President and CEO of Gruma Jairo Senise told the magazine.

The Baking and Snack article credits some of Mission Foods’ success to analyzing demographic data about regional consumers in Mexico and then applying that data to consumers elsewhere. Products can then be customized to accommodate cultural preferences.

Our research into what consumers want and how to provide them the best value was also cited. “Our target is to be as pure and fresh as possible,” said Mr. Senise, and that includes locating plants closer to markets, improving productivity, and exploring new packaging technologies.

The magazine article credits all Mission Foods employees as contributors to our company’s success. As a Mexican company operating in the U.S., the article points out, Gruma works hard to blend cultures effectively. Our training efforts and Internet-based performance management program are also mentioned positively. Everyone in the company can be proud of the Baker of the Year award and their part in helping us win it.

Mr. Roche is a native Venezuelan who was living in Florida before moving into his new position. He has worked in many countries including Venezuela, Spain, and the U.S. He began his career working with companies such as Nabisco and Mavesa, a Procter & Gamble joint venture in Venezuela, where he rose to the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer, leading the company to significant success.

While with Nabisco, he served as President of the Northern Latin America region, and later as President of that company’s Europe/Middle East/Africa region. Most recently, Mr. Roche operated a consulting firm serving well-known organizations such as MasterCard, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, and Wyeth Laboratories.

Asked about his first impressions of Mission Foods, Mr. Roche said, “This is a great company, and it has had tremendous success. Its growth is unique in the food industry.” He added, “The potential is there to keep growing because it has the right people, the right products, and the right attitude to make it happen.”

Mr. Roche’s focus in his first few months on the job has been to understand the needs of the areas that report to him and to give them his full support. With his experience working in a variety of cultures, both geographical and corporate, he offered this observation about the company that he now leads: “Mission has a very unique culture. It combines good things from the Latin culture with good things from the U.S. culture. Commitment is a strong part of that culture. There is a commitment here to make things happen.”

Mr. Roche has a business degree from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Caracas, Venezuela, and an MBA degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He also held a Harvard Fellowship at the Kennedy School of Government.

"Thus far, Mission Foods, Snack Food Wholesale Bakery's 2004 Wholesale Baker of the Year, has followed the recipe book to a "T" and produced some sweet results. The company, which was bought in 1977 in Canoga Park, Calif., and then in the late eighties moved to Commerce, Calif., before landing in Irving in 1998, is one of the biggest producers of tortillas in the United States. And now, it believes that if it can incorporate "perfect execution" into all elements-production, marketing, sales, etc.-more growth is imminent."

"Mission Accomplished" Courtesy of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, September 2004, Andy Hanacek

Low in sodium and calories, chili peppers have more vitamin A by weight than any other food plant, and more vitamin C than citrus fruits. They're also a good source of folic acid, potassium and Vitamin E. But the real magic ingredient, providing both the heat and the health benefits, is a chemical called capsaicin. Eight times more pungent than the active chemical in black pepper, research shows that capsaicin, whether as part of your diet or in clinical use, can do your body a lot of favors.

Heart health. Cultures that cook with large amounts of hot peppers suffer significantly lower rates of heart attack and heart disease. That's in part because capsaicin works in the blood to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also reduces blood platelet aggregation and helps the body dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots, reducing strokes and pulmonary embolism.

Respiratory relief. You already know when you eat hot food your nose begins to run. What you may not know is that capsaicin also loosens mucus in your sinuses and chest, which can help prevent bronchitis and emphysema.

Healthy digestion. People used to think hot peppers caused stomach ulcers. Today we know that they actually help prevent the formation of ulcers by killing harmful bacteria in the stomach, and promote the build-up of a healthy mucus lining in the stomach. They also stimulate the production of saliva and gastric juices, improving digestion.

A metabolic boost. When you eat hot peppers, you sweat. An unpleasant side effect, right? But it turns out that this process of thermogenesis-the elevated production of heat by the body-speeds up your metabolism for up to twenty minutes after you've eaten the pepper, which promotes weight loss. So look on the bright side-you burn calories just sitting there!

Pain killer. Sure, hot peppers cause pain when you eat too many of them. But doctors have found that because capsaicin bonds with pain receptors in the body, it can actually reduce pain when used in clinical preparations. Injected into joints, it reduces arthritis inflammation, when rubbed on the skin it reduces the pain of psoriasis, and when inhaled in powder form, capsaicin can even reduce headaches. Maybe someday they'll figure out a way to use it to beat the heat of eating one hot pepper too many.

There's no recommended daily allowance for hot peppers-different people can stomach different amounts. Some folks can smile as they eat them straight from the jar, while others weep after mild salsa. But what you can count on is that cooking with hot peppers not only add flavor and zing to your diet, they also bring a host of powerful health benefits to your body.

Smart Shopping and Storage

• Pick up meat, poultry and seafood at the end of your shopping trip, and have them bagged separately.
• Refrigerate perishable items within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.

Be Cool When Defrosting

• Thoroughly defrost meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator, or defrost in the microwave if the item will be placed immediately on the grill.

Soak up the Facts about Marinating

• Marinate raw meat, poultry and seafood in a glass dish in the refrigerator.
• Reserve some marinade separately if you plan to serve it as a sauce.
• Discard any leftover marinade if raw food has been placed in it.

Keep it Clean

• To prevent contamination, use separate utensils and plates for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• If you're cooking away from home, be sure you have access to clean water, cloths and soap or other sanitizers to clean surfaces and hands.

Let Temperatures Rise

Use a meat thermometer to make sure foods have reached the internal temperatures necessary to kill harmful bacteria:

• Whole poultry: 180 degrees
• Poultry breasts: 170 degrees
• Ground beef hamburgers: 160 degrees
• Ground poultry: 165 degrees
• Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops: 145 degrees
• All pork cuts: 160 degrees

Reconsider Leftovers

• Keep perishable foods cool and out of the hot sun
• Toss out any perishable food that has been at room temperature or higher for 2 or more hours.

With these helpful tips, you're well-prepared for another great grilling season. For a look at how Mission makes even tortillas at home on the grill, check out recipes like Low Carb Grilled Lime Fajitas and Tortilla Shrimp Grill.

Sources: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Barbecue_Food_Safety/index.asp