KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday evening, Smithfield officially set the first-ever GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Largest Grilling Lesson with 336 participants at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The event not only launched the brand’s national “Get Grilling America” campaign, but also celebrated National Barbecue Month and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Draft Party. Nine-time World Champion pitmaster Chris Lilly and Weber grillmaster Kevin Kolman led grilling and tailgating fans through two recipes featuring Smithfield Prime Back Ribs and Roasted Garlic & Herb Marinated Fresh Pork Chops. Kansas City Chiefs’ Defensive End and fellow barbecue fanatic, Chris Jones, also joined the one-hour long lesson which showcased the ease, convenience, and versatility of grilling fresh pork.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8e671aa-94ac-4267-9b44-928440b4ee27.
Smithfield established the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title in partnership with Weber, Kingsford, Grizzly, and the Kansas City Chiefs. The requirements consisted of at least 250 participants actively taking part in the lesson at a single venue for a minimum of 30 minutes using the same equipment and ingredients. Arrowhead Stadium is also the home of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Loudest Crowd Roar at a sports stadium, making this yet another successful record attempt of which the Kansas City Chiefs have been a part.
In addition to making world history, more than 100 lucky grillers walked away with a free Weber 22” kettle grill or Weber iGrill Mini, while others received commemorative Grizzly Grip Rock cups, giveaways, and coupons. The festivities continued with on-site entertainment from KC Wolf and Kansas City Chiefs’ cheerleaders, and culminated with a post-lesson tailgate, where all enjoyed delicious Smithfield Fresh Pork ribs and chops hot off the grill.
“Kansas City hands down has the most passionate sports and barbecue fans in the country,” said Emily Detwiler, Smithfield Foods director of fresh pork marketing for the Smithfield brand. “I had no doubt that we would successfully set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Largest Grilling Lesson – and what better way to kick off our national ‘Get Grilling America’ campaign than by grilling fresh pork with the best people and pitmasters around!”
Smithfield launched the national “Get Grilling America” campaign to inspire Americans about the ease, convenience, and versatility of Smithfield Fresh Pork. Starting May 1, visit www.SmithfieldGetGrilling.com for tips, “how to” videos, recipes, and a chance to win thousands of grilling and cash prizes.
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About Kansas City Chiefs
Founded as the Dallas Texans in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) by sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the franchise moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became known as the Kansas City Chiefs. The team currently competes in the West Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). Under the guidance of the Hunt Family and the leadership of Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, the mission of the Kansas City Chiefs is to Win with Character, Unite our Community, Inspire our Fans and Honor Tradition. For information about the Kansas City Chiefs, visit www.chiefs.com or follow @Chiefs on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or search Kansas City Chiefs on Facebook.
About Guinness World Records
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (GWR) is the global authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the iconic annual Guinness World Records books have sold over 136 million copies in over 20 languages and in more than 100 countries. Additionally, the Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition, first published in 2007, has sold more than 4 million copies to date. Guinness World Records’ worldwide television programmes reach over 750 million viewers annually and more than one million people subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, which enjoys more than 300 million views per year. The GWR website receives 18 million visitors annually, and we have over 12 million fans on Facebook. The Guinness World Records commercial sales division provides bespoke consultancy services for some of the world’s top brands and agencies to help place record breaking at the heart of their marketing campaigns, employee-engagement programmes, and live and experiential events.