Heinz® Ketchup and Little League® Hit a Homerun; Heinz Named the Official Ketchup of Little League Baseball and Softball

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

H.J. Heinz Company, the maker of The World's Favorite Ketchup®, has teamed up with Little League® Baseball and Softball, making Heinz the official ketchup and condiment of Little League. As part of this partnership between two Pennsylvania icons, Heinz plans to celebrate the achievements and happy moments of young athletes both on and off the field.

“We are excited to welcome Heinz into the Little League family," said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. "Little League strives to find partners who not only fit our mission, but also meet the needs of our local leagues and their families. A concession stand staple, Heinz is one of the most recognizable names in the industry, and their products have been a part of baseball and softball for generations. We look forward to working with Heinz to make this a successful relationship."

Beginning this month, Heinz will be a part of Little League's largest event, the Little League Baseball® World Series, which will be held in South Williamsport, PA on August 14 – 24, 2014. Fans watching at home will also see Heinz advertising during the event which is broadcast nationally on the ESPN family of networks and ABC.

“Both Heinz and Little League have a long-standing history of bringing enjoyment and happiness to families,” said Joe Giallanella, Brand Manager for Heinz® Ketchup. "We're excited about the opportunity to work with Little League. We share their commitment to inspire young athletes to reach their potential on and off the field."

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Little League. Heinz's sponsorship helps Little League maintain low team affiliation fees and provide valuable training and educational resources to coaches, umpires, parents, and volunteers.

“Little League's national sponsors play an important role in ensuring that millions of boys and girls have a wonderful Little League experience, and parents have a healthy, affordable recreational outlet for their children,” said Brown.

“We are thrilled to be Little League's newest sponsor and proud to further unite two of America's favorite things: ketchup and baseball,” said Giallanella.

About Little League:

Little League® Baseball and Softball is the world's largest organized youth sports program, with 2.4 million players and one million adult volunteers in every U.S. state and more than 80 other countries. In 2014, Little League is celebrating its 75th Anniversary of developing major league people. For more information, visit LittleLeague.org, or follow the Little League on Facebook (facebook.com/LittleLeague) or Twitter (twitter.com/LittleLeague). Celebrate Little League's 75th Anniversary online at LittleLeagueBigLegacy.com, official hashtag: #LittleLeague75.

About Heinz:

H.J. Heinz Company, offering “Good Food Every Day”™ is one of the world's leading marketers and producers of healthy, convenient and affordable foods specializing in ketchup, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant nutrition. Heinz provides superior quality, taste and nutrition for all eating occasions whether in the home, restaurants, the office or “on-the-go.” Heinz is a global family of leading branded products, including Heinz® Ketchup, Sauces, Soups, Beans, Pasta and Infant foods (representing over one third of Heinz's total sales), Ore-Ida® potato products, Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® entrees, T.G.I. Friday's® frozen snacks, and Plasmon® infant nutrition. Heinz is famous for its iconic brands on six continents, showcased by Heinz® Ketchup, The World's Favorite Ketchup®.