Quarterly research conducted by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) revealed positive results for eat brighter! Sales in quarter two—including a 3 percent average increase in sales year-over-year from participants. According to PMA, some participants reported increases as high as 11 percent.

The eat brighter! campaign was launched as a partnership between PMA and Sesame Workshop that grants produce industry members access to Sesame Street character images royalty free in their go-to-market strategies. Now with 110 active participants, the partnership has been extended through 2018.

“This is an encouraging sign, and we’re thrilled that participants are able to take the eat brighter! assets, available through an unprecedented program agreement with Sesame Workshop, and turn it into results like these,” said Cathy Burns, PMA president. “Now that the program has been extended through 2018, we look forward to seeing positive growth in this trend as more kids and families experience eat brighter! in stores.”

Since the launch of the program, PMA has observed that:

-Of the suppliers in market, 75% have reported an increase in year-over-year sales.

-Of the suppliers who have been in market for three quarters, the average increase is 5.3 percent.

“With produce sales rising three percent on average for participating companies -- and with some reporting increases as high as 11 percent -- it's very clear that the eat brighter! campaign is working brilliantly,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “I am so thrilled to see Sesame Street and produce suppliers and retailers coming together to get our kids excited about healthy eating, and I look forward to seeing more companies come on board to grow the momentum.”

Success of the program has led to its expansion in Mexico, allowing produce marketers, retailers, school foodservice and promotional organizations who sell product there to participate.