FRESNO, Calif., July 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sun-Maid Growers of California, the iconic and innovative dried fruit and snacks company, is proud to announce the return of three previous board members to its Board of Imagination (BOI); a creative collective where kids ages 6-12 work directly with Sun-Maid executives to provide input and help make decisions about the company's innovations. This year's BOI, marking the fourth year of the program, will once again bring kids' imaginative power to the forefront, ensuring Sun-Maid products continue to delight and inspire.
Returning to the BOI are Lukas C., Eli H., and Isabelle M., each bringing their unique experiences and creativity back to the table. These young visionaries will represent their previous classes and lead the charge of helping Sun-Maid with innovation, marketing, and activities.
Meet the Returning Members:
Lukas (BOI Year 1)
- Age: 12
- Hometown: Woodway, TX
- Notable Contributions: Selected out of 1,384 applicants in the first year of the BOI, Lukas tested new products and selected the winning packaging designs in the Doodle Challenge. His chosen designs were featured exclusively at Target. Lukas also played a pivotal role in creating the first-ever Day of Imagination.
Eli (BOI Year 3)
- Age: 12
- Hometown: Riverside, CA
- Notable Contributions: Eli helped create the Sun-Maid Blueberry & Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins by designing packaging and taste-testing flavors. His creative insights have been invaluable to Sun-Maid's product development.
Isabelle (BOI Year 3)
- Age: 8
- Hometown: Tulsa, OK
- Notable Contributions: Alongside Eli, Isabelle contributed to the creation of the Sun-Maid Blueberry & Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins. She loves science, traveling, and especially reading.
"Welcoming back these seasoned BOI members is incredibly exciting," said Steve Loftus, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun-Maid. "This marks the fourth year of the program, and having these members return brings a fresh wave of energy and experience. Their imaginative ideas and unfiltered feedback on our innovations have been instrumental in shaping Sun-Maid's future. We can't wait to see what these creative minds dream up next as they embark on this exciting new challenge! This program fosters not only the development of delicious new Sun-Maid snacks but also the imagination and skills of these young leaders."
These members will have significant input into the creation of potential new products for the Sun-Maid brand. Along with this incredible opportunity, the selected Sun-Maid BOI members will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
This year's BOI members will have the opportunity to influence Sun-Maid's future snack innovations and imaginative initiatives. The BOI is as much about having fun as it is about having an impact. Members will collaborate with Sun-Maid executives to make daydreams a reality, giving their stamp of approval and fostering imagination and skills that will help them in later life.
Since its creation in 2021, Sun-Maid's BOI has provided once-in-a-lifetime experiences for its members and raised thousands of dollars for children's charities. Notably, previous BOI members have worked with YouTube sensation MrBeast's philanthropy channel to help donate over $200,000 of snacks and school supplies. The BOI also oversaw Sun-Maid's Doodle Challenge – an art-focused competition where the BOI selected three kids' doodles to be featured on Sun-Maid's packaging, chose Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation as the recipient of a $50,000 donation and helped in the flavor creation of a new product line ‘Sun-Maid Blueberry & Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins’.
For more information about Sun-Maid's Board of Imagination, visit www.sunmaid.com/boardofimagination.
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About Sun-Maid Growers of California: Founded in 1912, Sun-Maid Growers of California is a farmer's cooperative of hundreds of grower families with vineyards in California's Central Valley. From childhood to adulthood and generation to generation, Sun-Maid's innovative snacks continue to feed imaginations one little red box at a time—because when imagination is used for good, there's nothing more delicious! Always starting with a whole fruit you can see and taste, Sun-Maid continues to offer trusted go-to snacks that are simple and versatile—imagine that! For more information about Sun-Maid, visit www.sunmaid.com and follow the brand on social media including TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
