Brands are using Women's History Month to celebrate the women in their industries and elsewhere.
Hershey's, whose brand previously has highlighted the "she" in its iconic chocolate bar name, is offering limited editions beginning this month.
Using the hashtag #CelebrateSHE, Hershey's is celebrating women who have made a difference worldwide. Special bars are being sold in the United States.
Additionally, bars distributed internationally in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Philippines and Saudi Arabia will share the stories of women in their counties who have fought for equal rights and other advancements.
The Hershey Company is led by CEO Michele Buck, and was named by Forbes as the world's top female-friendly company in 2021. By 2025, Hershey aims to have aggregate dollar-for-dollar pay equity for salaried employees worldwide.
"When women are empowered, they lift their communities with them," said Alicia Petross, chief diversity officer of The Hershey Company. "Our global programing for International Women's Day and Women's History Month helps us celebrate and highlight how powerful female entrepreneurs, business owners and role models can be within their community. We strive to showcase the power of women both within our company and in the world and give them a platform to keep achieving greatness."
Hershey's also is donating $150,000 to Girls on the Run, a nonprofit that has empowered young girls through athletics for more than 25 years in the United States.
In other food news:
SOUPERGIRL EXPANDS: The plant-based soups that began in a kitchen in Washington, D.C. now will be distributed in Kroger's stories in its mid-Atlantic supermarkets.
Soupergirl’s soups and gazpachos will debut in Kroger’s Richmond, Va., stores and will be sold at Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic supermarkets in the weeks to come.
“We are so excited to launch with Kroger in Richmond, and to have been awarded this incredible opportunity,” said Sara Polon, co-founder and CEO of Soupergirl. “Not only will we bring our radically delicious, plant-based soups to Kroger’s giant retail audience, but we will learn best-of-class business practices from the market leaders.”
CULINARY ARTS GRANTS: The Rachael Ray Foundation is offering high schools grants to improve their culinary arts programs through Grow Grants of $5,000. High schools with ProStart or culinary arts programs are eligible for the first round through applications March 1 to 31.
"We are excited to support another round of Grow Grants for high schools that are cultivating the next generation of food industry professionals through the ProStart Program," Ray said.