Zumbro River Brand achieves Blue Zones Worksite® designation

  ALBERT LEA, MN - 04/22/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

Designation as a Blue Zones Worksite® recognizes Zumbro River Brand’s active engagement in improving employee health.   Company facilities and grounds are smoke free, health screening tests are provided, exercise is actively promoted and healthier food choices are offered.  Zumbro River Brand manufactures Z-crisps®, high protein crisps and offers contract agglomeration and extrusion services to produce products to customer specifications.

Albert Lea, MN was chosen in 2009 to be the first US community to test the new Blue Zones concept outlined by Dan Buettner in his book The Blue Zones.  The theory behind the initiative was born from Buettner’s study of several communities around the world which have the greatest longevity.  Several common factors seemed to unite these communities including exercise as part of daily life, high consumption of plant based foods, social connectedness and sense of purpose in life.

Albert Lea implemented a plan to improve community health and increase the life span of residents by promoting those common factors of long-lived communities.  The Albert Lea Blue Zones Project team enlisted citizens, businesses, schools and churches in an all-out assault on obesity, inactivity and loneliness.  Seven years later, much success has been achieved - Walking has increased 70 percent, according to pedestrian counts by the National Vitality Center, a local initiative.  Smoking has dropped 4 percent, and participants collectively lost almost 4 tons of weight.

As Ellen Kehr, Organization Lead of the Blue Zones Project observes that “Business leaders and public entities are in a powerful position to dramatically improve employees’ well-being.   Zumbro River Brand Inc. has been a leader and champion for employee well-being in Albert Lea for many years.  They have pioneered best practices in Tobacco Free Worksites, and through their dedicated staff they have provided outreach to all sectors of our community.”