NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kretschmar^® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses has partnered with Make-A-Wish^® to help grant a young Pennsylvania boy’s wish. Michael, an 11-year-old fighting cerebral palsy, is a country music fan with the ultimate wish of attending the CMA Music Festival in Nashville.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c72f1795-6dc0-4be4-a3f4-cd1ba6eba2b4

Make-A-Wish and Kretschmar granted Michael’s wish by providing him with the country music trip of his dreams. He and his family enjoyed four days of VIP treatment in Music City, including an all-star concert at Nissan Stadium and a private Kretschmar Country concert at The Bell Tower featuring Kretschmar brand ambassadors Ruthie Collins, Kelleigh Bannen, and Natalie Stovall and special guest appearance by Kretschmar brand ambassador and Country Music star Easton Corbin.

“Kretschmar is committed to supporting the important efforts of Make-A-Wish, and helping to make wishes come true for children like Michael,” said Michael Baughman, director of marketing for Smithfield Foods. “We are privileged to partner with Make-A-Wish to help make this unforgettable experience possible for him.”

Living with cerebral palsy is an ongoing challenge, but Michael maintains a positive outlook. When he is not listening to his favorite country music stars on the radio, he enjoys reading, camping, and spending time with his family.

“Kretschmar went above and beyond to ensure Michael had a truly unforgettable wish experience,” said Kathy Forshey, Make-A-Wish America vice president of corporate alliances. “It is because of donors and sponsors like Kretschmar that we are able to continue granting more, and better wishes for Wish Kids nationwide.”

Since 2012, Kretschmar has contributed more than $650,000 to Make-A-Wish nationally, and sponsored more than 12 wishes with local chapters through the brand’s Legendary Wishes campaign.

With the help of retail partners, Kretschmar has raised more than $85,000 through sales of Make-A-Wish paper stars sold at stores' registers for $1 donations, employee donations, and sandwich fundraisers. The brand gives these funds to local Make-A-Wish chapters to grant more wishes.

For more information about Kretschmar Deli and the brand’s involvement with Make-A-Wish visit www.KretschmarDeli.com or www.Facebook.com/KretschmarDeli.

Kretschmar is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Kretschmar
Kretschmar^® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses has meant quality since 1883.  Our hams are made with a unique hardwood smoking process.  Kretschmar poultry and beef are hand-trimmed using the finest cuts.  Our full line of Off-The-Bone deli meats are delicately sliced from the leanest, most tender cuts. And our premium Wisconsin cheeses repeatedly win in competitions world-wide. Try the Legendary Taste of Kretschmar today. For great recipes and more, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/kretschmardeli or visit our website at www.kretschmardeli.com.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 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 Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 21 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,800 in 2015 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.