Jul 20, 2006 6:04 AM, PROMO Xtra

Nickelodeon is giving the likes of Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants an even bigger role to play in grocery store aisles. In a new licensing deal, the entertainment company plans to put images of Dora and SpongeBob on packages of apples, pears, cherries and edamame (soybeans).

Starting in September, Borton & Sons will release bulk packaging of fresh apples, pears and cherries featuring Nicktoons characters, including Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Pablo and Uniqua from The Backyardigans.

Under the deal, Seapoint Farms will distribute 1.5-ounce packages of Dora the Explorer Thaw & Eat organic shelled edamame and 2-ounce packages of SpongeBob SquarePants Thaw & Eat organic edamame pods. Next month, Reichel Foods will roll out four SKUs of Nick Stix Carrots and Dip and Apples and Dip featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Seapoint's products will be available at national supermarket chains and natural food stores nationwide. The licensing agreements are designed to encourage a healthier diet and lifestyle choices for kids, Nickelodeon said.

The deal follows a previous partnership Nickelodeon formed with Grimmway Farms, Boskovich Farms and LGS Specialty Sales to brand packages of baby carrots, Spinach and clementines with SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer images last fall (PROMO Xtra, July 14, 2005).

"We've been looking for innovative ways to make our fresh fruit packaging more kid and parent friendly—and we're confident that consumers will be thrilled to see our Nicktoon branded pears and apples at their local grocer this Fall," said Frank Davis, VP of sales & marketing for Borton & Sons, in a statement. "SpongeBob SquarePants and the Nickelodeon characters on our new packaging are adored by kids and respected by parents. We expect they will encourage more shoppers to buy fresh fruits for their families."

The licensing deals are just one way Nickelodeon is reaching out to promote its message of healthy, balanced lifestyles for kids. The company has committed $30 million and 10% of its airtime to health and wellness messaging.

In April, Nickelodeon and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation launched the Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, a five-month-long miniseries on the network, which features kids' real life struggles and successes to make their lives healthier.

PSAs and grassroots activities support. Some 100,000 kids have signed up to participate in their own healthy challenge at Nick.com/letsjustplay. The initiative will end with Nickelodeon's third annual Worldwide Day of Play, where the network goes dark for an afternoon to encourage healthy activity, on Sept. 30.

Nickelodeon isn't the only brand putting popular characters on fruits and veggies.

This summer, Sunkist and Sesame Workshop launched a retail promotion that plays up the healthfulness of Sunkist strawberries and blueberries with help from the Sesame Street muppets (PROMO June 2006).

For more coverage on marketing at retail

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