Jul 2025
PARK RIDGE, N.J., July 14, 2025 - This back-to-school, Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, a beloved staple in classrooms and lunchboxes, is shining the spotlight on the season’s true heroes: teachers.
America's #1 Fruit Snacks Brand and Crayola, the iconic brand synonymous with creative learning and back-to-school, are launching a nationwide campaign including limited-edition interactive packaging that invites families to nominate teachers who have made a difference in their lives for a Thank You Teacher Sweepstakes. 1
“As the makers of Welch's Fruit Snacks, we take great pride in putting what matters most first —like Real, Whole Fruit as our first ingredient,” said Jason Levine, Chief Marketing Officer at PIM Brands Inc. “This time of year too often centers on shopping lists and material things but we believe what matters most is a child’s love of learning and the teachers who ignite it. Educators inspire young minds, champion creativity, and quietly begin shaping the year ahead long before the first bell ever rings. We’re thrilled to partner with Crayola to shift the spotlight and put teachers where they truly belong this back-to-school season — first.”
As part of the Thank You Teacher Sweepstakes, 250 nominated teachers will win gift cards to stock up on curiosity-sparking classroom essentials and one grand prize winner’s school will be awarded a $10,000 classroom makeover and supply of Crayola products to better fuel creativity for school years to come.
“We’re honored to partner with Welch’s Fruit Snacks to recognize the incredible teachers who lead with creativity and spark a love of learning in their students,” said Anna Roca, head of Global Partnerships and Promotions at Crayola. “This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to educators. The Thank You Teacher Sweepstakes is a heartfelt way to recognize and celebrate the many dedicated educators across the nation.” The limited-edition boxes of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks are designed to help spark creativity and engage fans. Each interactive box features fruit-themed line art ready to be colored with Crayola crayons, markers, or colored pencils (sold separately), plus a special side panel where families can write a personal note or drawing to a favorite teacher.
The back-to-school boxes are packed with soft, delicious fruit snacks made with Real, Whole Fruit as the Main Ingredient and, for the first time, introduce the beloved Mixed Fruit, Berries ‘n Cherries and Fruit Punch varieties made with colors from natural sources. This marks an important milestone in Welch’s® Fruit Snacks commitment to exclusively use colors from natural sources in all products across the portfolio by early 2026.
“As the category leader and a family-owned business, our top priority is always our consumers and their families. The move to colors from natural sources began over a decade ago and is already reflected in products launched since 2018 including Welch’s® Fruit Snacks Summer Fruits and Mango-Peach, Welch’s® Juicefuls and Juicefuls Fusions,” said Levine. “Now, just in time for back-to-school, we’re proud to begin rolling out our best-selling flavors made without artificial dyes and without compromising on the things we know people love about Welch’s Fruit Snacks: Real Fruit and great taste.”
The limited-edition packaging will be available in Mixed Fruit and Berries ‘n Cherries 10ct and 40ct size, and Mixed Fruit, Berries ‘n Cherries & Fruit Punch Combo 22ct boxes, starting this month. Look for them at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Target, HEB and more, while supplies last.
Follow along on social media: @WelchsFruitSnck on Instagram and @WelchsFruitSnacks on TikTok. For more information on Welch’s® Fruit Snacks and the brand’s back-to-school programming, please visit https://welchsfruitsnacks.com/back-to-school-season/ or scan the QR code on specially marked packages.
1 Thank You Teacher Sweepstakes. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Nominators: 50 US/DC, 18+. Nominees: 50 US/DC, 18+, who are current or former teachers of children in grades K-12. Ends 9/17/25. Rules/complete details: thankyouteachersweepstakes.com.
ABOUT PIM BRANDS INC.:
PIM Brands, Inc. is the world’s largest maker of Real Fruit Snacks and related treats and is also one of the world’s largest makers of chocolate and non-chocolate confections. Currently ranked as #26 on Candy Industry Magazine’s “Global Top 100” confectionery companies in the world and #10 in North America by Candy Industry Magazine, PIM Brands, Inc. is also ranked by Crain’s Business as one of the New York Metro Area’s 100 largest privately owned companies, and by NJBIZ as one of the State’s largest privately held employers.
PIM Brands, Inc. has been named as one of the fastest-growing Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies in the U.S.A. by Circana (formerly Information Resources, Inc.) and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) six times since 2012.
Millions of times each day all across the world, consumers enjoy PIM’s vast array of loved brands including Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, Welch’s® Juicefuls® Juicy Fruit Snacks, Welch’s® Fruit ‘n Yogurt™ Snacks, Welch’s® Juicefuls® Fusions™, Welch’s® Fruit Rolls, Welch’s® Zero Sugar Fruity Bites, Welch’s® Fruitfuls™ Fruit Strips, Sun-Maid® Chocolate Raisins, Toggi® Fine European Chocolate Wafers, Tuxedos® Chocolate Almonds, Original Gummi FunMix®, Sour Jacks® Sour Candies, Slice™ Fruit On the-Go™ Fruit Bars, Nuclear SQWorms® Sour Gummi Worms and many more.
PIM’s subsidiaries and affiliates include PIM Brands LLC, PIM Brands Canada, PIM Brands Mexico S DE RL DE CV, PIM Brands Iberica, SL, PIM Brands UK, Ltd, PIM Brands Hindustani Private Limited, PIM Global Holdings LLC, PIM Consumer Health LLC, Pharma In Motion LLC and Farmer’s Choice Food Brands.
About Welch’s:
Welch’s is proudly owned by a cooperative of U.S. family farmers. Best known for its iconic Concord grape juices, jams, jellies, and spreads made with grapes grown on their farms, Welch’s is a trusted leader in fruit-based food and beverages. Our purpose of nourishing through the goodness of fruit is at the heart of everything we do.
Founded in 1869, Welch’s has spent more than 150 years bringing real fruit flavor to families around the world. Today, the Welch’s portfolio includes a wide variety of juices, sparkling fruit beverages, jams and jellies, fruit snacks, fresh fruit, and more, crafted with a range of fruits to meet the needs of all families. Whether enjoyed at breakfast, in lunchboxes, or during celebrations, Welch’s products bring real fruit goodness to everyday moments.
Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Welch’s is committed to quality, innovation, and creating long-term value for its grower-owners. Learn more at www.welchs.com.
About Crayola:
Whether it's providing tools to put a purple octopus on the moon, helping create family memories or enabling arts-infused learning in the classroom, Crayola is passionate about helping parents and educators raise creatively alive children. The company has inspired creativity in children for more than 120 years, creating an expansive portfolio of innovative art tools and learning resources, crafting activities, toys, digital platforms, live action and animation content, and location-based experiences that allow children of all ages to put their imagination into action. Through its work, Crayola sees a world where the inherent creativity of children is fully nurtured into adulthood, helping all kids reach their full potential. For more information visit www.Crayola.com or join the conversation at www.Facebook.com/Crayola.