RITZ "Friendsgiving Chef Service" with Marcus Samuelsson Delivers Globally-Inspired Gourmet Friendsgiving Feast as Part of Its Welcoming Holiday Campaign

Goldbelly Holiday Meal Kits and Sweepstakes Take the Stress out of Holiday Meal Prep

EAST HANOVER, N.J., Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Friendsgiving this year just got a lot less stressful. This season, RITZ and chef Marcus Samuelsson are enabling fans to spend less time in the kitchen and more time welcoming others and relaxing with their chosen family. The brand is launching a RITZ "Friendsgiving Chef Service" Sweepstakes, allowing one lucky winner to host the ultimate Friendsgiving for 10, with a full spread expertly prepared by Chef Marcus Samuelsson. The chef will welcome the winners to his newest New York City restaurant, Hav & Mar, and the program will extend nationally via Goldbelly with RITZ "Friendsgiving Chef Service" meal kits, created by Samuelsson, available to ship to friends and family anywhere around the country.

The Friendsgiving program is part of the brand's multi-faceted holiday campaign, "Our Holidays," that celebrates the diverse celebrations, cuisines and traditions found in homes across America. An extension of the brand's "A Taste of Welcome" purpose platform, which aims to make the world a more welcoming place, the RITZ brand is highlighting the powerful role food and traditions play in bringing people together for Friendsgiving, diverse global holidays and beyond. Campaign components include a national television campaign, immersive video series and limited-edition cookbook titled A Taste of Welcome: A Celebration of Food and Culture and created in collaboration with Samuelsson and Bon Appétit. The new cookbook includes stories and recipes from multiple immigrant families, Samuelsson features in content and contributed two original recipes to the book.

The ideal partner for this inclusive campaign, Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden before moving to the U.S. to pursue his culinary career. He is a champion of the role food can play in welcoming and bringing people together.

"My very first Thanksgiving was actually Friendsgiving with my roommates and restaurant family in New York City. I was a young cook and new to this country and I remember making some Swedish herring. To me, there is nothing more satisfying or joyful than sitting down at a table full of friends and great food that represents who we all are," Samuelsson fondly recalls. "Now, my wife and I welcome 12 to 15 friends and family to our house in Harlem and our table is a mash-up of great food; everyone brings something: Filipino adobo, Peruvian ceviche, Nigerian suya. I didn't grow up with Thanksgiving, but it has become one of the holidays I've learned to love the most and I'm excited to relive a little of that first Friendsgiving."

Between now and Tuesday, November 1 at 11:59pm EST, fans of RITZ and Samuelsson can enter the RITZ "Friendsgiving Chef Service" sweepstakes by following @ritzcrackers on Instagram, liking the dedicated sweepstakes post, and commenting on the post mentioning one friend in the comments they would invite to their Friendsgiving celebration. One lucky holiday host and up to nine friends will win the opportunity to come together to meet Samuelsson and share in a multi-course Friendsgiving dinner at his brand-new New York City restaurant, Hav & Mar. The dining experience will take place on Monday, November 14^th and will include an exclusive preview of his recipes from the new RITZ cookbook. To view the full sweepstakes rules, visit here.

"Friendsgiving has become its own holiday, with hosts welcoming their chosen families and guests contributing dishes that often reflect their diverse cuisines and cultures." Mayte Killeen, Senior Brand Manager, RITZ. "Food is a powerful connector and is a pivotal vehicle for welcoming others in to share a piece of who we are and where we come from, so it was natural for us to leverage our Taste of Welcome values to shine a light on the diversity that defines this special time of year for friends and families across America."

Chef Samuelsson will also create a limited-edition RITZ "Friendsgiving Chef Service" meal kit in his Goldbelly shop, including everything needed to make one of his favorite recipes from the cookbook, Chicken Meatballs & Berbere Honey Brussels with RITZ Cracker Crumble. Other courses in the kit include Candied Root Veggies with Spice Pecans, Marcus' Cornbread Stuffing and Dirty Gravy. The kits will go on sale beginning November 14 and will be available while supplies last.

"Our heritage inspires how we cook and the familiar flavors from one's home country can be very powerful in connecting us, welcoming others and creating a sense of community where we all can belong," Samuelsson continues. "I'm proud to partner with RITZ Crackers and be part of a brand campaign that recognizes and celebrates culturally diverse families and holidays, and the importance of diverse cuisine, tastes and flavors."

To keep the holiday cooking going, A Taste of Welcome: A Celebration of Food and Culture will be available in December. Fans can visit TasteOfWelcome.com to learn more about the RITZ holiday campaign and order a copy of the new cookbook while supplies last. Fans can also visit ritzcrackers.com and follow RITZ on Facebook and Instagram to see what else the brand is up to.

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2020 net revenues of approximately $27 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as OREO, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ. 

Contact
Austen Hohendorf
Ahohendorf@webershandwick.com

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