The Please Pass the Pie campaign provided tremendous exposure and if Californians want a state pie too, the American Pie Council and Edwards are here to help.
Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) July 27, 2006
Riding a victory tide from Florida, which recently made history as the second in the nation to designate an official state pie, the Please Pass the Pie campaign gathered thousands of votes in California during recent holiday celebrations. While final tallies are underway, popular contenders include: Strawberry, Banana Cream, Apple, Pecan and Boysenberry pies.
Please Pass The Pie voting booths with ballot boxes were featured at several popular events in Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Long Beach and Santa Ana. Ballots enabled voters to express interest in and nominate an official state pie for California.
“We are very proud of Florida’s victory in designating Key Lime pie as the official state pie just a few months ago,” explained Linda Hoskins, Executive Director, American Pie Council. “The Please Pass the Pie campaign provided tremendous exposure and if Californians want a state pie too, the American Pie Council and Edwards are here to help.” The APC is the only organization dedicated to preserving America’s pie heritage and promoting America’s love of pies, year-round.
Hosted by the American Pie Council (APC) and Edwards® gourmet desserts, the campaign showcased costumed entertainers, a stilt walker, free balloons, and a year’s supply of Edwards desserts for six lucky winners. The Rose Bowl event also offered free Edwards pie samples. Contest winners included Shahryar Khanideh, Irvine; Jose Villareal, Santa Ana; Consuelo Garcia, Long Beach; Carol Perez, Long Beach; and Millicent and Mike Carlton, Beaumont.
As in Florida, where the state pie status became effective July 1, 2006, organizers say that the ballots and mock voting results will be forwarded to interested California lawmakers. Nominations for the official pie reflect voter sentiment since Edwards, sold by Schwan’s Bakery, Inc., and the APC are non-partisan with regard to state pie choices.
“Each state has a unique pie heritage,” said Melinda Pritchett, an APC Board member and a Schwan’s brand manager. “We believe the best way to preserve this heritage is by designating official state pies. Our hope is to see state pie legislation introduced in California and in capitols across America if local pie-lovers want it.”
Since Florida, the state pie initiative has sparked interest among pie-lovers in several states and in Canada. “We are thrilled with the response to the campaign and we are prepared to help wherever pie-lovers want a state pie,” said Pritchett.
About the Edwards Baking Company
The Edwards Baking Company was founded in 1950 by namesake Tom Edwards as a small retail bakeshop in Atlanta, Georgia. Now based in Suwanee, Georgia, Edwards gourmet desserts are found in grocer’s freezers nationwide and are sold as whole pies and in two-slice packages. Varieties include the No.1 selling Key Lime, Lemon Meringue, Georgia Pecan, Turtle and OREO®, among others. Edwards won four blue ribbons at the 2006 National Pie Championships and two of the awards recognized Edwards’ newest desserts --- Banana Crème and Butterfinger Pie.
Upcoming Pass the Pie events are scheduled for Chicago. For more information, contact http://www.edwardsbaking.com.
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