NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kretschmar® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses is pleased to deliver more legendary music experiences at this year's CMA Fest®.

As part of the brand's partnership with Make-A-Wish®, for the fourth year in a row, Kretschmar helped grant a teenage girl's wish to attend the annual country music festival in Nashville, which kicked off yesterday, June 7 and continues through Sunday, June 10. As a big country music fan, Kaitlyn, a 17-year-old Michigan-native battling hypoplastic left heart syndrome, was thrilled to get her wish to go to CMA Fest. She and her family enjoyed four days of VIP treatment in Music City, including a private country concert and luncheon at The Bell Tower featuring Kretschmar brand ambassadors Ruthie Collins, Kelleigh Bannen, Natalie Stovall, and a special guest appearance by country music star and No. 1 multi-award-winning hitmaker Easton Corbin.

"Kretschmar is committed to supporting the important efforts of Make-A-Wish, and helping to make wishes come true for children like Kaitlyn," said Michael Baughman, director of marketing for Smithfield Foods. "We are privileged to partner with Make-A-Wish to help make this unforgettable experience possible for her."

"There are few experiences more impactful for a child with a critical illness than a wish-come-true, and with the help of sponsors like Kretschmar, we can make more of these life-changing wishes possible," said Kathy Forshey, vice president of corporate alliances for Make-A-Wish America. "We are incredibly grateful for the brand's ongoing support to help us grant wishes to kids like Kaitlyn across the country."

Kaitlyn's trip was granted through Kretschmar's ongoing Legendary Wishes campaign, which helps Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. As part of the exclusive concert experience, Kretschmar also invited several local Make-A-Wish families to share an afternoon of great food and music.

"It's an honor to be here to help give Kaitlyn and these incredible Make-A-Wish families this special experience," said Corbin. "I'm proud to show my support for a cause I believe in and to continue to partner with a brand like Kretschmar that is just as committed as I am to give these children a chance to enjoy the moment and truly be a kid again."

The festivities didn't end there. For the remainder of CMA Fest weekend, fans can visit the brand's inaugural Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses stage on Broadway in downtown Nashville. Throughout the festival, fans can sample Kretschmar's premium Off The Bone ham and turkey, enter for a chance to win various prizes, and recreate their favorite country music moments on the Kretschmar stage.

Since 2012, Kretschmar has contributed more than $725,000 to Make-A-Wish nationally and has sponsored more than 16 wishes with local chapters through the brand's Legendary Wishes campaign. With the help of retail partners, the brand has raised more than $115,000 through employee donations, sandwich fundraisers, and sales of Make-A-Wish paper stars sold at stores' registers for $1 donations. The brand gives these funds to local Make-A-Wish chapters to continue to grant more wishes.

For more information about Kretschmar Deli and its involvement with Make-A-Wish and CMA Fest, visit www.KretschmarDeli.com or www.Facebook.com/KretschmarDeli. Kretschmar is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Kretschmar
Kretschmar® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses has meant quality since 1883. Our hams are made with a unique hardwood smoking process. Kretschmar poultry and beef are hand-trimmed using the finest cuts. Our full line of Off The Bone deli meats is delicately sliced from the leanest, most tender cuts. And our premium Wisconsin cheeses repeatedly win in competitions worldwide. Try the Legendary Taste of Kretschmar today. For great recipes and more, like us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/KretschmarDeli or visit our website at www.KretschmarDeli.com.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, Farmer John®, Kretschmar®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, Carando®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Healthy Ones®, Morliny®, Krakus® and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.SmithfieldFoods.com.

About CMA Fest
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. Now in its 47th year, the legendary festival has become the city's signature Country Music event that hosts fans from all 50 states and nearly 20 foreign countries. In 2017, CMA Fest featured 11 stages with over 350 artists, 1,100 musicians, and 167 hours of music — all to benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $21 million to sustainable music education initiatives across the U.S. thanks to the fans who attend CMA Fest and the artists who perform for free. CMA Fest is filmed for a three-hour ABC Television Network special. 2018 marks the 15th consecutive year of the broadcast.

About Easton Corbin
With two No. 1 singles, seven Top 10 singles and multiple awards and nominations, plus performances on some of the biggest stages in the world including performing on one of the biggest tours in country music-Carrie Underwood's 2016 The Storyteller Tour, Easton Corbin has made a lasting impression on the country music landscape. He is lauded for his traditional country sound, authentic lyrics, and mastery of understatement. American Songwriter says, "Easton Corbin has one of those rare, glorious voices that was made—just made—for singing country music." He is known for his signature hits including "A Little More Country Than That," "Roll With It," "Lovin' You Is Fun," and "Baby Be My Love Song" from his No. 1 debuting album About To Get Real. His emotional "Are You With Me" was the most added song at radio the day it was released. Corbin's current Top five single "A Girl Like You" garnered rave reviews. Taste of Country picked it as a Critics Pick saying, "It takes a fraction of a second to know Easton Corbin is on to something different with "A Girl Like You." Corbin is currently in the studio finishing new music for his fourth studio album.

Contact:
Hunter PR on behalf of Kretschmar
Megan Milano
MMilano@HunterPR.com
(212) 679-6600

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/54d8535f-60c5-4986-bf73-f3ce9407676b