CONTACT: Bill Cason – AT 727-422-7807
OR TasteBudsTampa@
TASTE & SEE "TASTECASTING"
Local Chefs & Foodies Host A Tampa Tortilla Extravaganza July 22, 2009
TAMPA, Fla. – July 16, 2009 – Next Wednesday, July 22, chefs and foodies from throughout the Tampa Bay area will come together for a special Tastecasting™
At Wednesday night's event, guests are invited to tour the production facility where they will experience how the tortillas are made, and have an opportunity to taste them freshly baked. They will also have a chance to meet the woman behind the tortillas, "Taco Tammy", hear her story, and see why so many have gotten behind the charge to Save The Tortillas.
From 8-9 p.m. (for registered TasteCasters only, though media are welcome) TasteCastingTM team members will enjoy Mexican Lasagna and Crawfish Enchiladas that the chefs will be creating using Tam-x-ico’s and Wrap-itz tortilla products. The chefs will also be sharing their favorite tortilla recipes, which will be published on the Save The Tortillas blog http://savethetortillas.com. The recipes will also be shared on other social media sites to inspire people to creatively cook with tortillas.
La Bonita Ole is located off of I4 Exit 3, at 5804 E. Columbus Dr., (East of 50th Street) Tampa, FL 33619-1643; Phone 813-254-1450.
For more information on TasteCasting visit http://www.tastecasting.com
For more information on Save The Tortillas visit www.SaveTheTortillas.com ;
http://www.twitter.com/
For more information on the employees http://www.flickr.com/
About TasteCasting
TasteCasting combines socially networked individuals plus the social media platforms and applications they use to help establishments build awareness, announce grand openings, introduce new menu items, distribute special offers and encourage people to visit the establishments they talk about. These socially networked individuals use various online media outlets to spread the word about these local eateries and the food and drink they serve. Local establishments invite teams of TasteCasters to a complimentary tasting. In turn, the TasteCasters tell their collective connections (as many as 100,000 or more) about their experience good or bad using text messages, links to images, photos, and video via such social networks as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and blogs to promote the establishment. The businesses can then repurpose that media coverage for their own promotional use on their website, in newsletters and in other social media outlets. For more information log on to http://www.tastecasting.com/
About Save The Tortillas
"Save The Tortillas" is a campaign launched by La Bonita Ole's President and CEO Tammy Young to save her company. After 17 years of providing a growing line of tortillas to the eastern United States, La Bonita Ole filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on July 16, 2008, allowing the company to restructure its debts under SunTrust Bank. Because of the current credit crisis and a one-year growing pain impact, La Bonita Ole, as is the case with many other solid, growing companies, was left with insufficient funds to address its operating costs. Filing for Chapter 11 enabled La Bonita Ole to continue to function, pay its bills and creditors, and become profitable and solvent again. However, she risked control of the company being shifted from current management by SunTrust Bank, whose plan is to sell her company. If this happens, Young will be divested of her interests. It's Young's intention that the Save The Tortillas campaign will generate enough public support for the La Bonita Ole and her cause before the company's final judgment court date August 19, 2009. Ideally, the public support will influence SunTrust Bank and the courts to allow the existing loans to remain in the SunTrust portfolio, making thereby making SunTrust a hero in the banking industry for allowing La Bonita Ole to continue to thrive with Young at its helm. For more information log on to www.savethetortillas.com
What the Public Can do to Help
1. Sign the Save The Tortillas petition at www.savethetortillas.com. Ask SunTrust Bank to be a hero and let Tammy Young keep ownership and existing management of La Bonita Olé, and continue to pay her loans and creditors.
2. Buy Tam-x-icos and Wrap-Itz tortillas from their grocer, eat and enjoy.
3. Spread the word. Ask friends to sign the petition; tell journalists and bloggers, as well as elected officials about Tammy's story; and let retailers and restaurateurs know about La Bonita Ole's tortillas.
About La Bonita Ole
Founded in 1992, Tampa-based La Bonita Ole makes tortillas in 32 varieties, including both refrigerated Tam-x-ico’s, and shelf-stable Wrap-itz versions. Founder, President and CEO Tammy Young started the company with $13,000 in savings and the belief that she could make the most fantastic tortillas outside Mexico. The journey to become the best tortilla maker in America has lasted 17 years. La Bonita Ole now supplies over 20 major food retailers in 28 states, does over $12 million in sales, and employs more than 40 people. For more information, log on to www.tamxicos.com.
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