Keep your fridge and freezer stocked with healthy protein with flavor! It can be tempting to reach for the bag of chips or microwave meals when you’re short on time, but by keeping Mighty Spark’s all-natural chicken or turkey patties in the fridge, you’ll have a low-carb, high-protein, flavorful option at-the-ready for you and your family.
Foodie and wellness trend expert Heather Smith shares with FOX 28 Columbus that Mighty Spark is one of her favorite go-to meal solutions to keep healthy eating goals on track. You’ll find Mighty Spark in the fresh meat aisles in Columbus at Giant Eagle, Meijer and Fresh Thyme.
Watch the segment here.
]]>Let Mighty Spark help keep your healthy eating goals on track! Lifestyle expert Jennifer Bonner with Daytime TV shows viewers how adding Mighty Spark’s all-natural chicken and turkey to salads or used as the secret ingredient for quick dinners allows for delicious and easy meal prep without sacrificing flavor.
Watch the segment here.
]]>Founded in 2008 as Man Cave Meats (and later renamed Man Cave Eats), in 2018 the company rebranded to Mighty Spark. Since then, it has continued to build out a portfolio of chicken and turkey based meat sticks and fresh, raw ingredients like chicken burgers or marinated poultry cuts. The company’s products are sold in thousands of stores including Kroger, Food Lion, Giant Eagle, Bristol Farms, Walmart, Harris Teeter and more.
Roughly a month ago, the company was acquired by private equity firm Swander Pace Capital through its Branch Brook Holdings group, which includes distributor United Natural Foods, Inc (UNFI) and Jefferson Capital Partners as partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but along with the acquisition the company brought on three CPG veterans to its board of directors, including: Kerry Collins (formerly CEO of Applegate Farms), Eric Eddings (CEO of Oregon Ice Cream) and
Diane Kull (VP of technical services at Bragg Live Food Products).
The company also announced a new CEO in Sean Reid, a 30 year food industry veteran who most recently served as EVP of sales at Jack Link’s and formerly was the chief consumer officer at Hillshire Brands.
In the near term, Reid wants to focus on what’s working — expanding distribution for the brand’s products, particularly in the natural channel where the brand has less representation despite its all-natural marketing alignment. Though Mighty Spark had originally shied away from including the term “meat” in its name, its products are clearly animal proteins.
“I think we’ve found a place where we want to build that awareness with the current offerings that we have and, and really continue to drive that distribution,” Reid said. ”We want to stick to what we’re good at right now.”
The company’s meat sticks will also be a key focus area. Reid said the line has high return purchase rates, but needs to also expand distribution to see greater success. One point of discussion with retailers, he said, is where to merchandise the line — in the fresh meat case where Mighty Spark’s other products can be found, or in the meat snack set.
Mighty Spark’s strength is that it offers shoppers convenient meal solutions while saving retailers the labor of preparing marinated meats or patties in-house. During the Covid-19 pandemic, with consumers staying at home, shoppers began cooking more and experimented with new global flavors. Reid said the brand helps shoppers explore their culinary passions while still getting dinner on the table quickly through options such as Bruschetta Chicken Patties or Thai Style Ground Chicken,
The meat section in particular has become highly commoditized, with the few branded items sold focused more on their nutritional attributes then the brand itself. Reid says by developing a strong point of view, and with its unique packaging, Mighty Spark can bring more excitement to the category, which has seen shoppers head to buzzy plant-based options in recent years.
In the past year brands such as Bilinsky’s and Seemore’s have also launched their own branded products into the set, but largely have focused on the sausage section. Meanwhile, in meat snacks, many of the top brands have looked to beef or pork options for their meat sticks, leaving Mighty Spark to focus solely on leaner proteins.
The company also has a focus on giving back, donating the equivalent of one meal to a non-profit partner for every product sold. Reid said the program offers Mighty Spark an advantage in driving consumer loyalty among shoppers who are looking for sustainable, mission-driven brands.
“Brands are hard to build, whether you’re a large established organization or small,” Reid said. “People are reimagining what’s expected from food, and that they expect more than just great flavor…[And] not just more from the product itself, but also from the company that provides those products.”
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Mighty Spark is excited to announce the milestone of ten million donated meals! It's crazy to think that when we started Mighty Spark a goal of ten million meals seemed so far away. With amazing support from fans across the nation and our partners, Feeding America and Children's Hunger Fund, we've crushed it! We thank you from the bottom of our mighty hearts and pledge to keep moving full speed ahead on our mission to impact food insecurity.
Your simple act of purchasing Mighty Spark has a far reaching impact beyond your dinner table. The gesture is paid forward to dinner tables across the nation and the globe.
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Minneapolis, MN (May 25, 2021) – Mighty Spark Food Company (“Mighty Spark”), an innovative, all-natural protein brand on a mission to impact food insecurity, announces a partnership with an investor group led by Swander Pace Capital (“SPC”), a leading private equity firm specializing in consumer products’ companies, and its strategic partners in Branch Brook Holdings (“Branch Brook”), which includes United Natural Foods, Inc., the largest distributor of health and specialty food products in the U.S. and Canada, and Jefferson Capital Partners.
In conjunction with the strategic partnership announcement, Mighty Spark is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Sean Reid. Sean brings over 30 years of industry experience and most recently served as Executive Vice President of Sales at Jack Link’s and Chief Consumer Officer at Hillshire Brands.
“I am excited to welcome my new partners and a new CEO to our Company to leverage their experiences with other high-growth, innovative food brands and those businesses that positively impact their communities,” explains Mighty Spark’s Founder Nick Beste. “I’m thrilled our partners have embraced our mission, as well as our commitment to product quality and innovation. Going forward, I will focus my efforts exclusively on our meal donations and community impact, and I look forward to driving meaningful change as we help people in need.”
“Mighty Spark has quickly developed a loyal and passionate following due to its ability to consistently satisfy consumers seeking healthier protein alternatives, great-tasting products, environmentally-friendly packaging, and a real commitment to giving back,” says Rob DesMarais, Chairman of Mighty Spark and a Managing Director at Swander Pace Capital. “Mighty Spark has incredible growth potential and the talent and capabilities to realize it. We are thrilled to form this new partnership and welcome Sean Reid to lead the team.”
“I am excited to lead a talented and ambitious organization that is winning with its consumers and retailer partners,” explains Sean Reid, Chief Executive Officer at Mighty Spark. “Going forward, we will work hard to continue to innovate with better-for-you proteins as we respond to emerging consumer trends while staying true to our give-back commitment.”
In connection with the partnership, Mighty Spark proudly announces the addition of three proven leaders to its Board of Directors, Kerry Collins, Eric Eddings, and Diane Kull. Ms. Collins most recently served in various senior roles for Applegate, including Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Eddings currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Oregon Ice Cream, which owns Alden’s (No. 1 market share organic ice cream brand in the U.S.) and Chief Executive Officer of Branch Brook Holdings. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Sahale Snacks. Ms. Kull currently serves as the Vice President of Technical Services at Bragg Live Food Products (No. 1 market share apple cider vinegar brand in the U.S.) and previously held senior positions at Applegate, including Vice President of Quality Assurance, R&D, and Animal Welfare.
“We are very enthusiastic to join forces with an incredibly talented team at Mighty Spark and to work in a collaborative and respectful way as we chase our ambitious goals,” explains Eric Eddings, Vice Chairman of Mighty Spark. “We are also here to support Mighty Spark’s mission to address food insecurity and continue to innovate for our consumers and retail partners.”
Mighty Spark Food Company
Mighty Spark is an all-natural protein brand that delivers exciting flavors and convenient packaging to make meals healthy and easy to prepare. Mighty Spark has donated more than 10 million meals to date and is working every day to impact food insecurity. Through the simple act of purchasing a package of Mighty Spark’s protein patties or grinds, or three snack sticks, our consumers are donating a meal to someone in need. For more information, visit https://mightysparkfood.com/.
Swander Pace Capital
Swander Pace Capital (“SPC”) is a private equity firm that invests in companies that are integral to consumers’ lives. Representative investments include Applegate, Bragg Live Food Products, Oregon Ice Cream (Alden’s), Merrick Pet Care, Kicking Horse Coffee, ReNew Life, Liberté, J.R. Watkins, Monistat, Totes-Isotoner, Reef, Voortman’s, and other leading food and beverage brands. The firm partners with management teams to help build companies to their full potential. With offices in California, New Jersey, and Ontario (Canada), SPC has invested in more than 50 companies and raised cumulative equity commitments of approximately $1.8 billion since 1996. For more information, visit www.spcap.com.
Branch Brook Holdings
Branch Brook Holdings (“Branch Brook”) represents a strategic partnership formed in 2012 between Swander Pace Capital, Jefferson Capital Partners, and United Natural Foods, Inc. to make investments in organic, natural, and specialty consumer product companies. For more information visit www.branchbrookllc.com.
Our friends at "Talk of Alabama" recently shared with their viewers how easy it is to create flavorful meals in a flash, while also giving back to local food banks through Mighty Spark’s meal donations.
Watch the segment here.
Mighty Spark is excited to team up with you, our loyal fan, and Walmart to help our neighbors in need through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. The idea is simple, and may sound familiar if you're already a Mighty Spark fan. From April 5th through May 3rd, each Mighty Spark item sold at Walmart will help provide one meal* to Feeding America. To help fight hunger, look for products that display the FIGHT HUNGER, SPARK CHANGE logo.
You'll find Mighty Spark in the fresh meat case with the other poultry products. Select Walmart stores carry our snack sticks in their Jerky/Meat Snacks set. Use our store locator to find a location near you.
In addition to buying products from the brands participating in the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. Campaign, there are more ways for you to help our local community:
Be sure to check out the tracker of donated meals by visiting walmart.com/fighthunger.
Together, we can be the spark that makes an impact.
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Mighty Spark – the rapidly growing company that donates a meal with each purchase of their all-natural, flavorful poultry – has expanded their assortment at Publix this year, resulting in 419,657 nutritious meals donated.
“Our company is on a mission to spark small but mighty ways to give back, and we’re grateful for our partnership with Publix and their shoppers throughout the Southeast who’ve shown their support by choosing a brand that aims to use its business for good,” said Kristy Welker, Marketing Director, Mighty Spark. “Millions of people are in need of food, so we’re happy to do our part – along with amazing food bank partners – to support those in need through the 419,657 meal donations.”
Mighty Spark & Publix Local Giving
To help thousands of families who are food insecure, Mighty Spark and Publix partnered for to give back locally. For each Mighty Spark product purchased at Publix from April 16 through Sept. 9, Mighty Spark is donating a meal* to a local Feeding America member food bank. Thanks to the support from Publix shoppers, 419,657 Mighty Spark items were purchased during the timeframe, resulting in 419,657 meals donated. The food banks that will receive the donations include:
“As a food retailer we’re dedicated to helping the hungry in the communities we serve. Publix is grateful to collaborate with Mighty Spark and our customers to support local food banks and families,” said Maria Brous, Director of Communications for Publix Super Markets Inc.
“Our neighbors across the country need our support now more than ever. Feeding America is grateful for our partnership with Mighty Spark and their commitment to help end hunger,” said Lauren Biedron, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 40 million people across every community in the U.S. are turning to their local food banks for nutritious food. To learn how you can take action to support hunger in your community visit FeedingAmerica.com.
*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.
About Mighty Spark
Our friends at Rouses Markets in Louisiana recently added more Mighty Spark to their assortment, and to celebrate, their RDN, April Sins, shared a simple, healthy 4-ingredient recipe you can make in 15 minutes to share with your family.
Watch the segment here.
]]>Meat lovers everywhere, rejoice! Brands introducing creative concoctions made of dried and dehydrated meats are making portable meat snacks the new thing. And we're totally not beefin' with that. Lean meats are an excellent low-calorie source of protein, omega-3s, anemia-fighting iron, energy-boosting vitamin B12, and even choline (the vitamin that can help cinch your waist).
This tryptophan-packed snack is spiked with real sweet potatoes, which add a hint of sweetness and some fiber to hold you over until your next meal. It's your favorite healthy dinnertime combo made into a portable snack stick! Check it out here.
]]>Approximately one in eight Americans may not know where they'll get their next meal, and Reasor's stands ready to help
Mighty Spark's philosophy is that businesses can be forces for good and provide sustainable improvements to the world and in local communities. Reasor's and Mighty Spark - an independent company that crafts all-natural, premium poultry - are teaming up to help those in need of nutritious food in local communities.
For each Mighty Spark product purchased at Reasor's now through March 31, Mighty Spark will donate to Feeding America. Meals distributed through Feeding America will be provided to their network for local food banks to help those suffering from food insecurity. Mighty Spark has donated more than 4.5 million meals since 2017, and they're on track to donate millions more. Full Article here
]]>Mighty Spark Foods, a Minneapolis maker of lean natural meats, links and blended patties, filled its corporate website for months with recipes and news about its executives and charitable work.
Then came the Beyond Meat IPO. The Los Angeles-area maker of faux meat based on pea protein and other ingredients went public last month, and its stock price jumped more than any other IPO this year. An article then appeared on Mighty Spark’s website headlined, “The Truth About Lean Poultry Compared to ‘Faux Meat.’ ” It said that its patties have fewer calories, fewer carbs, less fat and less saturated fat than Beyond Meat’s. Full Article Here
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Mighty Spark, an independent company that donates a meal with each purchase consumers make of their all-natural premium poultry, is expanding its assortment and presence at retailers nationwide with the launch of patties and ground blends at select Walmart stores, and chicken snack sticks at 2,500 CVS locations.
"In addition to launching at Walmart and CVS stores, Mighty Spark's rapid expansion includes recent launches at Giant Landover, United Supermarkets, Save Mart, Lucky, Rouses and more, expanding our nationwide presence to thousands of additional stores to bring more consumers healthy, delicious protein," said Nick Beste, CEO and Founder, Mighty Spark. "With our expanded distribution comes...more
]]>In today's Cooking with WCCO, we're finding out how Mighty Spark is kicking off a giving campaign to help people with food insecurity. Joining us now is Kristy Welker and Gabriel Welker. (3:21) WCCO Mid-Morning – July 5, 2019
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You didn’t need Oprah to tell you unseasoned chicken is unacceptable, did you?
When Spencer Althouse, BuzzFeed writer and fitness fanatic, tweeted a video clip from a 2006 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, he had no idea the viral moment would see the internet universally standing up for Oprah’s opinion that chicken should indeed be seasoned. Nor did he know that Oprah herself would respond to him after all these years to share what she was really thinking about the $1 million unseasoned chicken recipe.
Since Spencer is #TeamSeasonedChicken, he was happy to try a variety of Mighty Spark’s all-natural lean meats made with premium cuts of chicken and real, whole-food ingredients. Because of the delicious ingredients and the convenience that helps him stick to his nutrition goals, Spencer’s Mighty Spark go-tos are the Jalapeño & Cheddar Chicken Sausages and Smoked Gouda with Riesling Chicken Sausages.
It’s true that this no-frills low-carb dish may not have won $1 million (yet?) but we have donated more than 3 million meals to those in need, thanks to Spencer and fans like you. For every Mighty Spark product purchased, we donate a meal.
Take a look at how Spencer cooks up his Mighty Spark meals below and savor some delicious (seasoned) chicken in under 15 minutes.
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