Maple Leaf Foods and Hayley Wickenheiser Sign Two Year Deal

CALGARY – “As an Olympian and a mom, I understand how busy life can be when we are running between school, work, and daily activities, leaving us with little time to prepare healthy meals and snacks,” states Hayley Wickenheiser. “My number one tip is to plan ahead. By carrying ‘food for fuel’, like PROTINIS™ complete protein snacks, we can ensure we’re both smart – and satisfied snackers. Plus, it’s a great grab-and-go option we can feel good about feeding ourselves and our families.”

Maple Leaf Foods, the makers of Maple Leaf Natural Selections PROTINIS (pro-teen-eez), has announced the company’s two-year partnership with four-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Canadian flag bearer, Hayley Wickenheiser, to fuel the next generation of gold medal athletes and busy Canadian families.

On November 28 – 30, 2014, Hayley will be welcoming 1,500 girls from across North America to participate in the Canadian Tire World Female Hockey Festival (WickFest), an annual world female hockey tournament taking place in Hayley’s home town of Calgary, AB. As the official protein sponsor of WickFest 2014, Maple Leaf Natural Selections PROTINIS will help fuel the players’ game by providing nutritious, complete protein snacks and sports nutrition education.

“WickFest is not about the gender of the players, but about the game itself,” said Hayley Wickenheiser, who created WickFest as her legacy to the game. “Beyond the 180+ games of the tournament, it is through clinics and workshops that we provide the girls with the opportunity to learn first-hand how to build some key life-long skills off the ice – including how to eat right. These skills will support and guide them both on and off the ice.”

“Hayley epitomizes what it means to be busy,” said Chantal Butler, Vice President, Marketing & Masterbrands, Maple Leaf Foods. “On top of being a great mother, she’s an ambassador for Canada’s beloved game and she’s pursuing a medical degree. We are so proud to share her passion of helping families and athletes make healthy food choices and providing nutritious foods they need to fuel their busy days, like Maple Leaf Natural Selections PROTINIS™.”

With our busy and active lifestyles, Canadians are snacking more than ever. In fact, more than half (54 per cent)* of Canadians snack at least twice daily; making snacking the fourth meal of the day.

Choosing lean protein snacks and foods is a smart way to keep you feeling fuller longer. Complete protein, which is found in poultry and other meats, also supports physical activity and weight management goals by building and repairing muscles and tissues and providing all of the amino acids your body requires and cannot produce on its own.

Whenever possible, Hayley recommends busy Canadians choose foods with complete proteins including milk, eggs, fish, meat and poultry, like the oven-roasted chicken bites in PROTINIS. For more information about PROTINIS and the benefits of complete protein visit www.protinis.ca.

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