The makers of the HERDEZ® and DONA MARIA® Brands Partner to Bring Las Posadas Celebrations to Community and Children
ORANGE, California, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — For the first time ever, the makers of the HERDEZ® brand, the No. 1 salsa brand in Mexico and the makers of the DONA MARIA® brand, the No. 1 mole brand in Mexico, are partnering to bring Las Posadas celebrations to local communities and children in Los Angeles, Calif. Las Posadas or the inns, is a nine-day celebration taking place from Dec. 16-24. The Mexican holiday features pilgrims on candlelit processions filled with singing and cheer culminating in festivities and traditional foods offered by an innkeeper. This year the two brands will kick-off the holiday by hosting a free posada for the local community on Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the El Paseo Inn restaurant at Olvera Street. The community will enjoy a fun-filled celebration with food, music and live mariachi. To further celebrate, HERDEZ® and DONA MARIA® brands will gift a $10,000 cash sum donation and gifts to Los Angeles based Para Los Ninos, a non-profit organization that battles poverty and promotes academic success for disadvantaged children. The donation will serve to fund Para Los Ninos’ Felices Fiestas, a holiday festival that provides food and gifts for local families in need.
“Para Los Ninos is thankful to receive such a generous donation from the HERDEZ® and DONA MARIA® brands,” said Martine Singer, Para Los Ninos CEO. “Partnerships such as these allow us to continue providing our kids with a safe learning environment in which to thrive.”
HERDEZ® and DONA MARIA® brands will also be coordinating a gift drop-off campaign to further benefit Para Los Ninos’ Felices Fiestas. Wrapped or un-wrapped presents can be dropped off at El Paseo Inn restaurant located at 11 Olvera Street in Los Angeles, Calif. from Dec. 1-16.
“Para Los Ninos’ Felices Fiestas celebrates and rewards the success of our children through this holiday festival, ensuring they are recognized and don’t walk away empty handed this holiday season,” said Gilberto Gutierrez, senior brand manager for HERDEZ® brand a division of MegaMex Foods. HERDEZ® brand is excited to team up with DONA MARIA® brand for the first time ever, working together towards worthwhile causes such as these.”
“Las Posadas is a perfect time to warm our kitchens with savory flavors and celebrate with family, friends, food, salsa and mole,” said Elisa Velazquez, brand manager for DONA MARIA® brand at MegaMex Foods. “DONA MARIA® brand is honored to be a part of this longstanding tradition, and through this new partnership with HERDEZ® brand, offer our community memorable holiday moments.”
For more information on Las Posadas events visit: www.herdeztraditions.com/las-posadas. Follow HERDEZ® and DONA MARIA® brands via social media on Facebook and Instagram @HERDEZTraditions, and on Twitter @HERDEZBrand. For a chance to win prizes, join the conversation via #MisPosadas.
About the HERDEZ® Brand
HERDEZ® salsa is made the authentic way, using fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onions, chile peppers and cilantro. Today, HERDEZ® Salsa is the No.1 selling salsa brand in Mexico and a growing staple in homes in the United States. HERDEZ® authentic Mexican products are available nationwide at major grocery stores. Visit www.herdeztraditions.com for more information.
About the DONA MARIA® Brand
When it comes to world-famous mole pastes and tender nopalitos, DONA MARIA® brand has been Mexico’s favorite brand for over 65 years. Made with rich, flavorful ingredients such as fiery ancho chiles, pasilla chiles, peanuts, chocolate, hearty pumpkin seeds and a blend of signature Mexican spices DONA MARIA® mole features a smooth, slow-cooked flavor, making it the No.1 mole brand in Mexico today. Based on authenticity, this robust sauce is remarkably easy to use delivering a unique homemade flavor to any dish. DONA MARIA® authentic Mexican products are available nationwide at major grocery stores.
About Para Los Ninos
Since 1980, Para Los Ninos has helped children and families succeed in school and life. Each year PLN serves 7,500 children and families at 11 sites in the most impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Para Los Ninos schools immerse children in rigorous learning and enriching environments, and offer families skills that support academic achievement and financial stability. The organization utilizes novel and innovative teaching methodologies to promote student achievement, along with coordinated case management to bring mental health and support services to all members of the community. By combining school-day education with valuable life services, Para Los Ninos gives children the opportunities to combat the achievement gap, escape poverty, and achieve success in school and in life.
Combate Americas Hits Hollywood!
NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, today announced that it will make its debut in Los Angeles, Calif. with a stellar, nine-bout fight card at Florentine Gardens, live on NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
“This event represents Combate Americas coming of age, and presenting a lineup that is second to none with a collection of the brightest up-and-coming Hispanic fighters in the U.S.,” said McLaren.
Priced from $40, tickets for “Premier Insurance Services and Aspira Mas Present Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood,” are on sale at www.HollywoodFightNight.com.
In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of the live, four-fight telecast on NBC UNIVERSO, John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda, fresh off his victory at the inaugural “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Nev. on September 17, will square off with fellow striking sensation Federico “Kiko” Lopez.
The 23-year-old Castaneda (8-2), a seasoned striker who hails from Mankato, Minn., earned his third consecutive victory in the form of a unanimous decision over Justin Governale in the Combate Americas cage.
A 31-year-old member of Team Quest, Lopez (10-5) of Murrieta, Calif. is riding a five fight win streak, with four of those victories having come by way of either (T)KO or submission.
In the bantamweight co-main event, Combate Americas reality television series star and power puncher Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios will square off with dangerous scrapper Anthony Paredes of Murrieta.
Palacios (5-1), a 28-year-old resident of Mission, Texas who also boasts an unblemished professional boxing record of 2-0-1, scored a thunderous, first round (1:00) KO on Benji Gomez with a head kick at the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event on September 17, while the 26-year-old Paredes, another member of Team Quest, is looking to return to the win column after suffering a loss in July that snapped a two-fight win streak.
In a featured women’s atomweight (105 pounds) attraction on the live telecast, Kyra “Mogwai” Batara will collide with “Lightning” Liz McCarthy.
Fighting out of Las Vegas, Batara (3-3) is a 21-year-old protege of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guru Eddie Bravo. During the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Batara pulled off a stunning upset win via unanimous decision over Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, a former world championship challenger with five times as many professional bouts as Batara.
The 29-year-old McCarthy (2-3), also fighting out of Las Vegas, is a four-time veteran of Invicta FC, the world’s premier all-women’s MMA league. Prior to her professional debut at Invicta FC 2 where she defeated Jessica Philippus by way of first round (5:00) TKO (doctor stoppage) on July 28, 2012, McCarthy amassed a perfect, 6-0 record as an amateur.
The live NBC UNIVERSO telecast will kick off with a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup between Urijah Faber protege and prolific finisher Erick Sanchez (5-2) of Sacramento, Calif. and fellow rising star “Ruthless” Rudy Morales (3-3) of Las Vegas.
The complete, five-bout preliminary card for “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood” will be announced soon.
Doors at Florentine Gardens open at 5 p.m. PT for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.
ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts. The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.
About NBC UNIVERSO:
NBC UNIVERSO (www.nbcuniverso.com) is a modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, bringing the world’s top sports franchises and edgy programming to more than 40 million households in the U.S. As one of the most widely available modern cable channels for U.S. Latinos, NBC UNIVERSO delivers a thrilling mix of exclusive sports action – including FIFA World Cup™, Liga MX, Premier League, NASCAR Mexico Series, NFL and The 2016 Rio Olympics – along with signature series, blockbuster movies, music, must-see live events and strategic acquisitions, on TV, online and mobile devices. NBC UNIVERSO is part of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal (www.nbcuniversal.com), one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (www.comcastcorporation.com). To find the NBC UNIVERSO channel number in your area, please visit www.nbcuniverso.com/encuentralo.
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150716/237654LOGO
Kia Motors America Records Best November In Company History And Sells Six Millionth Vehicle In The U.S.
IRVINE, California, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Propelled by the sale of its six millionth vehicle in the U.S. since arriving in 1994, Kia Motors America’s (KMA) year-long momentum continued with best-ever November sales of 45,553 vehicles, a 1.4-percent increase over the same period last year. The brand’s seventh straight monthly sales record was led by the Optima and Soul, with 13,048 and 10,045 units sold, respectively.
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151201/292222
“Kia has outpaced the industry all year, and with our ‘Holidays On Us’ sales event in place throughout November customers visited our showrooms in record numbers to discover the new Kia,” said Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, KMA. “Kia continues to grow and mature at a rapid rate, and surpassing the six million vehicles mark as we push toward a strong finish to the year is the latest example of how far this brand has come in a very short period of time.”
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K9001 flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle2, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.
Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.
* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.
|
MONTH OF NOVEMBER |
YEAR-TO-DATE |
|||
|
Model |
2015 |
2014 |
2015 |
2014 |
|
Rio |
898 |
2,088 |
22,745 |
34,009 |
|
Forte |
5,010 |
5,047 |
73,508 |
64,030 |
|
Optima |
13,048 |
12,707 |
145,732 |
147,193 |
|
Cadenza |
847 |
482 |
6,745 |
8,719 |
|
K900 |
228 |
69 |
2,362 |
1,237 |
|
Sportage |
4,211 |
3,261 |
47,695 |
39,647 |
|
Sorento |
9,023 |
8,598 |
103,377 |
92,832 |
|
Sedona |
2,243 |
3,538 |
34,439 |
11,570 |
|
Soul |
10,045 |
9,146 |
134,974 |
135,410 |
|
Total |
45,553 |
44,936 |
571,577 |
534,647 |
|
___________________________________ |
|
1 K900 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability. |
|
2 Soul EV in select markets with limited availability. |
New POPTALK Application to Launch Just in Time for the Holidays Allowing Android Users to Call and Text Their Families in Mexico and Latin America for FREE
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Poptalk, a smartphone application created to bridge the communication and connectivity gap between immigrants and their families, will launch in the US and Latin America (these countries have the world’s most expensive mobile rates, and a limited number of companies offering services).
The free application allows Android users (iOS to follow in March) to call or SMS any phone for free by simply renting their smartphone lock screens to sponsors, receiving credits daily by using their phones normally. Users can also use these credits to pay for their relatives’ cellphone service and data in Latin America.
Poptalk offers the highest-quality voice service with rates that are just a fraction of calling cards (30x-100x) and local carriers (10x) so every free credit gets you an abundance of minutes and texts. For example, the average Poptalk user can call a Mexican landline for 600 minutes every month, for free.
There are 54M Latinos living in the U.S with over 1.5 trillion purchasing power. This, coupled with Latinos over indexing on international mobile communication and their propensity to be willing to view ads for free services is a tangible value proposition for advertisers targeting this highly coveted audience.
This is the first app to provide free international calling and SMS to any kind of phone within Latin America. Current apps require both parties to have smartphones and mobile data to communicate – only 19% of Latin America meets this requirement. Poptalk users can call their family members who have landline phones or text friends who don’t have a smartphone. With Poptalk 100% of Latinos (610M) can be reached.
The app is the brainchild of former Google managers, UC Berkeley graduate Victor Santos and Harvard graduate Sara Choi, both technology entrepreneurs with immigrant families, as a solution to serve underserved communities.
“From day 1 we created this company because we believe the ability to stay in contact with your loved ones shouldn’t be a privilege just for the rich, especially when 83% of the world lives in an emerging market” said co-founder Sara Choi.
“We want to help the under-served stay connected to their loved ones by being the first company to provide a completely free telecom alternative that includes calling (regardless of if you have internet), texting, and even data (through the ability to use Poptalk credits to top-up your prepaid phone)” added co-founder Victor Santos.
Poptalk will launch with the Android Market 4.0+. The iOS Market will follow in end of March 2016.
To learn more about Poptalk and to download the app, please visit: http://www.joinpoptalk.com
Join the conversation at
https://www.facebook.com/poptalkapp
All segments of Texas housing market show strong gains in 2015
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Texas real estate made a strong showing in all segments of the housing market in 2015 due to continued growth in the state’s economy, jobs and population, according to the 2015 Texas Annual Housing Report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors.
“The Texas real estate market has been firing on all cylinders in 2015. People are relocating to Texas from far and wide, homes in all price classes are in high demand and the number of available properties is slowly rising,” said Scott Kesner, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors.
The 2015 editions of the Texas Quarterly Housing Report indicated that Texas real estate is on pace to potentially have a record year in 2015. Home sales and prices steadily increased throughout the year, while statewide housing inventory reached a two-year high – 4.0 months – in 2015-Q3. Once again, the 2015 Texas Homebuyers and Sellers Report showed that Texas is outpacing the nation in home sales, as median incomes for Texans rose 5.9 percent year-over-year – more than double the growth rate of incomes nationally during the same time frame.
Texas’s business-friendly environment and strong job growth continued to attract new residents from out-of-state and internationally in 2015. Texas was the No. 2 state for gains in out-of-state residents, with more than 538,000 Americans relocating to Texas, according to the 2015 Texas Relocation Report. Additionally, international homebuyers contributed more than $8.32 billion to the Texas economy in a 12-month period, according to the 2015 Texas International Homebuyers Report.
“Texas’s diversified economy and our state’s enduring real estate demand shows that Texas remains to be a great place to live, work and do business,” said Kesner.
Two of the strongest segments of the Texas housing market were luxury home sales and small land sales. According to the 2015 Texas Luxury Home Sales Report, home sales priced at $1 million or higher grew between nine and 26 percent year-over-year in the state’s four largest metros. Small land sales throughout Texas also experienced double-digit growth, with 5,282 small land sales statewide. This was a 20.69 percent increase from the year prior, according to the 2015 Texas Small Land Sales Report.
Condominium and townhome sales in Texas continued to be strong, remaining fairly consistent with the previous year’s sales volume. The 2015 Texas Condominium Mid-Year Sales Report showed that existing condos spent less time on the market than new condos, as rising land and development costs may make new condominiums less affordable for some buyers.
Despite this rapid market growth, tough lending standards and a competitive homebuying market continued to make home remodeling a popular option among Texas homeowners. The 2014 Texas Remodel Valuation Report showed that remodeling projects continued to gain popularity and profitability, with smaller, functional projects that boosted a home’s curb appeal recouping the highest percentage of project costs.
Kesner concluded, “Once again, the Texas housing market has exceeded expectations and is on pace to possibly set another record for home sales. The market will remain highly competitive in 2016, making housing development and affordability key areas of focus throughout the state.”
About the Texas Annual Housing Report
The Texas Annual Housing Report is a recap of all market research reports distributed by the Texas Association of Realtors each year. The 2015 edition includes insights from the 2015 Texas Relocation Report, 2015 Texas International Homebuyers Report, 2015 Texas Luxury Home Sales Report, 2015 Texas Small Land Sales Report, 2015 Texas Remodel Valuation Report, 2015 Texas Condominium Mid-Year Sales Report, 2015 Texas Homebuyers and Sellers Report, and 2015 Texas Quarterly Housing Reports for Q1, Q2 and Q3. To view the Texas Annual Housing Report in its entirety, visit TexasRealEstate.com.
About the Texas Association of REALTORS®
With more than 100,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policies that benefit homeowners. Visit TexasRealEstate.com to learn more.
CONTACT: Danielle Urban
Pierpont Communications
512-448-4950
[email protected]
World AIDS Day: Focus on Food Safety
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — December 1, 2015, is World AIDS Day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reminds people with HIV/AIDS (and those preparing food for them) about the importance of safe food handling in preventing foodborne illness.
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090824/FDALOGO
Learn about safe selection and preparation of foods for people with HIV/AIDS in the free booklet Food Safety for People with HIV/AIDS:
- Download at http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/PeopleAtRisk/ucm312669.htm
- Order a copy by calling 1-888-MPHOTLINE (1-888-674-6854) or emailing [email protected]
Practicing food safety is critical because the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) can damage, or destroy the body’s immune system, making those living with this disease more susceptible to foodborne illness (often called “food poisoning”). If a person with HIV/AIDS contracts a foodborne illness, he or she is also more likely to have a lengthier illness, undergo hospitalization, or even die. This increased risk underscores the critical role safe food handling plays in managing HIV/AIDS.
Make Wise Food Choices
Some foods are more risky for people with HIV/AIDS because they are more likely to contain harmful bacteria or viruses. In general, these foods fall into two categories:
- Uncooked fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Certain animal products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk; soft cheeses made with raw milk; and raw or undercooked eggs, raw meat, raw poultry, raw fish, raw shellfish and their juices; luncheon meats and deli-type salads (without added preservatives) prepared on site in a deli-type establishment.
Follow the Four Steps to Food Safety
Anyone who has HIV/AIDS or who prepares food for people with HIV/AIDS should also follow these steps:
- CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, counter tops, and food.
- SEPARATE: Keep raw meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
- COOK to the right temperatures. Use a food thermometer to ensure meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products are cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria. Refer to the chart at: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/UCM462491.pdf
- CHILL foods promptly. Cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the refrigerator temperature is 40 degrees F or below and the freezer temperature is 0 degrees F or below.
Know the Symptoms
Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Symptoms of foodborne illness include: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flu-like symptoms (such as fever, headache, and body ache).
Take Action
If you think that you or a family member has a foodborne illness, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Also, report the suspected foodborne illness to FDA in either of these ways:
- Contact the Consumer Complaint Coordinator in your area. Locate one at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators
- Contact MedWatch, FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- By Phone: 1-800-FDA-1088
- Online: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch
Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540 Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free)
