SMITHFIELD, Va., Dec. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kretschmar® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses will continue to bring smiles to children's faces in 2019 by extending its partnership with Make-A-Wish® for another year. Through the beloved deli brand’s $105,000 donation to Make-A-Wish, Kretschmar will help grant life-changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses.

“Opportunities to work together with organizations such as Make-A-Wish are what brings the most fulfillment and joy to our brand,” said Michael Baughman, Smithfield Foods director of marketing. “Kretschmar has a legacy of giving back to the community and it gives me great pride to say that we can continue to do our part to help make an impact on the lives of deserving children facing difficult circumstances.”

Since 2012, through the brand’s continued Legendary Wishes campaign, Kretschmar has donated nearly $1 Million to Make-A-Wish furthering their vision to grant a wish to every eligible child. As part of the brand’s continued commitment to the organization, Kretschmar has also included many retail partners to help raise additional funding through internal fundraisers, employee donations, and in-store sales of Make-A-Wish paper stars. As a result, joint retail partner events have raised more than $150,000 in addition to Kretschmar’s annual donation for local Make-A-Wish chapters throughout the country.

“We are honored to benefit from Kretschmar’s generosity and appreciate their continued commitment to making life-changing wishes come true,” said Holly Thomas, Make-A-Wish America vice president, corporate alliances. “Studies show wishes help kids feel better, and better and can give them the hope and strength they need to fight harder. Through their donation, Kretschmar is helping to improve the lives of wish kids and their families.”

For more information about Kretschmar and its involvement with Make-A-Wish 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 are delicately sliced from the leanest, most tender cuts. And our premium Wisconsin cheeses repeatedly win in competitions world-wide. 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, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 35,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant a wish every 34 minutes, on average, somewhere in the country. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 300,000 wishes to children in the U.S. and its territories; more than 15,400 in 2017 alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org. 

Contact:
Jon Salas
Hunter PR for Kretschmar
Phone: 212-679-6600
E-Mail: jsalas@hunterpr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fb3925e-62b8-4db4-91f8-1b9f3980b61d