Bacon Lovers Deli Meats Establishes World Record

Bacon Lovers Deli Meats by Eckrich honored and assisted our military families and wounded warriors on the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum located in New York City. With the help of more than 100 volunteers and participants from Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit providing emergency financial and food assistance to military veterans, wounded warriors and their families, Eckrich made 2,706 hero sandwiches in one hour to receive a new Guinness Worlds Records certificate. Eckrich Bacon Lovers Deli Meats then immediately donated more than half of the sandwiches to Operation Homefront. The remaining sandwiches were donated to City Harvest in New York City.

The new record by Eckrich, part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, beat the old mark of 1,660 and was a part of Operation Inspiration, a campaign by Eckrich designed to honor, thank and support the military families who inspire their fellow Americans. Through the ongoing Operation Inspiration campaign, Eckrich will donate 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked products from May 1 through July 4, 2013, up to $250,000. It is the second year of Eckrich's partnership with Operation Homefront, but today's endeavor was one of its largest events to date. "Bacon Lovers Deli Meats has proven to be a brand known to break barriers," says Chuck Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for the John Morrell Food Group. "We saw that again with our Guinness World Records achievement. More important, however, is the fact that we did this to honor and support our military veterans and their families. We donated a lot of sandwiches that will assist those military families in need. That's what our 'Operation Inspiration' campaign is all about and we're proud to honor our true heroes." The Bacon Lovers Deli Meats sandwiches were made on hero rolls donated by New York City business MRS Baking Distribution with lettuce donated by Fresh Express, a division of Chiquita. Cheese, provided by The Deli Source, was the other filling used to satisfy the required guidelines of two ingredients. The new record was judged by an official Guinness World Records Adjudicator who was on site to judge and count the sandwiches. The 2,706 sandwiches were made with 1,200 pounds of Bacon Lovers Bacon Covered Club, one of the five varieties offered in the line. More than 6,000 slices of cheese were shipped in to New York City as well as more than 168 pounds of lettuce. The sandwiches were made by local Operation Homefront volunteers and military members from New York City and New Jersey. Over the past year, through donations provided by Eckrich, Operation Homefront has met the needs of more than 100,000 families in all military branches of service. Today's event is a huge step in adding to those needs.