US National Football League chooses Sabra Dipping, owned by PepsiCo, as its official dips sponsor as company launches substantial campaign to bring Middle Eastern delicacy to American masses
Hummas and Pita.
The National Football League has declared hummus the official dip of the NFL, promoting the Middle Eastern delicacy to the vast population of football fans that exist across America.
Specifically, the league chose Sabra Dipping Co., owned by PepsiCo Inc., as its official dips sponsor.
The decision comes just as the company approved its first batch of US television commercials, most likely part of a substantial campaign to bring hummus to the American masses.
Ronen Zohar, the Israeli-born CEO of Sabra, is confident that the hummus trend will catch on in the States, and that hummus will take over mayo as the next big dip to accompany cold cuts and vegetarian sandwiches.
One commercial, labeled “a guide to good dipping,” displays the different kinds of hummus Sabra offers, and the variety of items you can dip, including chicken wings, carrots, celery, and chips. Coincidentally, the typical Monday Night Football smorgasbord. The commercial goes on to advise viewers to “dip life to the fullest.”
Zohar realizes, though, that his work is cut out for him.
Currently, salsa is (obviously) the most popular dip for NFL gatherings and Super Bowl parties, producing double the sales hummus does.
However, hummus-like spreads have been growing by 14% in the States.
“Most of the people in the US never tasted hummus,” Zohar told Bloomberg. “You have to change their mindset that even if the name is strange and the brown color of the hummus is not as appetizing, it tastes wonderful.”
