PITTSBURGH, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ready
Nutrition (@ready_nutrition), one of the fastest growing sports
nutrition companies in America, today announced that professional
basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo (@giannis_an34) has chosen to
make his first brand investment with the Company, giving him an
ownership stake and creative input at multiple levels of the
Company's business, along with an exclusive endorsement and
community role with the brand's Ready Water and other sports
nutrition products. He joins Founder and President, Pat Cavanaugh, former University of Pittsburgh basketball team captain, and
professional football star Aaron
Donald as a co-owner.
The superstar forward and reigning MVP has been using Ready
Water for almost two years and has always considered the Company's
products to be a strong match for his own drive for excellence.
When he and Cavanaugh realized that the Company's mission was also
aligned with Antetokounmpo's personal commitment to making a
difference in the world around him, it was an easy decision to join
forces as teammates, partners and co-owners.
Antetokounmpo, who like Cavanaugh and Donald is known for his
strict workout and nutrition regimens, will focus on youth and high
school athlete platforms such as Ready's Mobile Training Table
Program and Ready Talks with Giannis; giving advice and inspiration
to athletes, including Ready Product donations to select youth and
high school programs in the United
States and abroad.
As one of Giannis's first initiatives at the Company, Milwaukee
Public School students will receive 34,000 bottles of Ready Water
and 34,000 Ready Protein Bars to be included with their daily meal
program. There will also be an additional 34,000 bottles of Ready
Water donated to Milwaukee area
healthcare workers to support their efforts.
Ready Water is an all-natural, premium sports hydration drink
featuring 15 grams of Protein, NO Sugar and 5 natural Electrolytes
that is available across a large, rapidly expanding North America distribution network -- the most
recent additions include Walmart locations in 20 states as well as
more than 100 H-E-B stores – and is also quickly expanding
into European and Asian countries, which will be one of
Antetokounmpo's areas of particular focus.
"We are proud to have Giannis join our company as a teammate and
co-owner in a role that will touch so many areas; from product
development to cause marketing, community relations and consumer
engagement through our retail partners both on-line and in store,"
said Cavanaugh. "As hard a worker as Giannis is, he is equally an
engaged and caring person; most importantly always trying to get
better and helping others get better. He's our kind of guy. We are
looking forward to combining our thoughts, interests and activities
as we grow together and build a unique, global sports nutrition
brand."
"We have been presented with many, many brand opportunities over
the past couple years; some from very large, well-known brands but
I have found very few where I believed in the products,"
Antetokounmpo said. "I have to believe in the product. I use and
believe in Ready's Products.
"It's also important for me to believe in the mission of the
company; and Pat and Ready's vision match my interests in health
and nutrition. For me to get involved with the company at this
level and build something special -- it will give me the chance to
learn and make an impact on a global level, not just here in the
U.S. This fits everything I was looking for."
In addition to these initiatives, Antetokounmpo will be involved
in all areas of product development and design as his schedule
permits and will be featured in Consumer Retail Promotions in both
leading on-line and traditional retailers in North America, Europe, Asia
and India. A percentage of sales
will be donated in Ready Products to scholastic teams in need in
all 30 NBA Cities, as well teams and clubs in Greece, Nigeria, Ireland, India and China.
Antetokounmpo will also help Ready Nutrition bring its Mobile
Training Tables to all 30 NBA Cities, where Ready nutritionists
will give athletes demonstrations on food prep and performance
foods, a digital "Ready Talks with Giannis" interactive program
where Antetokounmpo will engage in real time with students from
around the globe, and an "I'm Ready Coach" community platform for
Competitive Young Athletes to interact amongst themselves and share
questions, tips and information.
All of this programming and activity is focused on achieving a
key Ready goal: helping one million athletes achieve one ambitious
stretch goal they set for themselves by 2025.
About Ready Nutrition (http://www.teamready.com)
Ready Nutrition was founded in 2012 by former University of
Pittsburgh basketball team captain
and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Hall of Fame member,
Pat Cavanaugh. Ready is a
fast-growing sports nutrition company that specializes in
supporting athletes achieving their goals with all-natural sports
nutrition products. The company's products include their best
in-class protein waters, sports drinks, protein and snack bars,
protein powders and plant based functional snacks. Its products are
currently available in over 8,000 retail outlets across
North America. Over 200 college
and university athletic programs provide their student-athletes
with Ready products and the brand is the Official Sports Nutrition
Brand of four NCAA Division 1 Conferences. Two-time, pro football
Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron
Donald, is an investor and owner in the company. Ready has
also been chosen as the Official Sports Drink of The Amateur
Athletic Union (AAU), the largest athletic organization in
the United States with over
700,000 athletes that compete in 41 sports.
SOURCE Ready® Nutrition