La Jolla entrepreneur teams up with Wyland

By Elizabeth Schneider

As Terry Kraszewski, CEO and co-founder of Whale Tails tortilla chips, talks about her product from behind the counter of Ocean Girl, her La Jolla Shores surf shop, it is clear that she has a serious passion for the ocean.

So when it came time to choose the art for her two new flavors, Wyland — the world-renowned marine artist and environmentalist — was the perfect choice.

Terry Kraszewski, CEO and co-founder of Whale Tails and owner of Ocean Girl, and Wyland show off the new packaging he created for her line of tortilla chips. Courtesy 

“I was trying to find a way to work with the most famous marine artist in the world,” Kraszewski said. “Wyland is called the Michelangelo of the sea — he’s my favorite.”

The partnership will feature one of Wyland’s famous seascapes on each of the three flavors of Whale Tails: the newly released Hawaiian barbecue will feature “Dawn of Creation,” the new blue corn flavor will feature “Orca Journey” and the original yellow corn will feature “Hawaii Endangered Species.”

The rich colors and details which have made Wyland’s work so successful are also characteristics which make for an ideal, eye-catching graphic.

“Our merchandisers and grocers are so excited because this packaging just jumps out at you,” Kraszewski said. “We’re thrilled to be associated with him.”

The partnership, however, goes far deeper than art. Both Whale Tails and Wyland have always held fast to their goals of, as the Wyland foundation mission statement describes it: “promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life.”

In order to pursue this shared aim, Kraszewski has announced that she will donate 10 percent of the profits from the new bags of chips to the Wyland foundation.

“The more I learned about Wyland, the more I found out we’re doing exactly the same thing: education,” Kraszewski said. “That’s the key to making a difference: teaching children to be good stewards of the sea.”

Steve Creech, the vice president of Wyland, says that the revenue raised from the chips sales will primarily go towards their “clean water mobile learning center.” This program, which is currently located at the San Diego County Fair, travels to schools across the nation to educate children about “urban runoff, habitat destruction and the importance of collaboratively managing water as a shared resource.”

This commitment to ocean life has also been integral to both the product and the mission of Whale Tails since its inception in 2006. Whale Tails began in Ocean Beach as a stovetop experiment after a day of surfing, when Kraszewski and her co-founders realized that the anatomy of a whale’s tail would also lend itself to the perfect tortilla chip.

“The same shape that allows whales, weighing over a ton, to move through the water is also a natural shape for loading up a couple of scoops of grilled pineapple/mango salsa or perhaps a mound of fresh guacamole,” the company website states.

Aided by appearances in “Snack of the Day” on Rachel Ray and “Road Tested with the Neelys” on the Food Network, Whale Tails has grown quickly from its humble beginnings.

The chips’ health merits – they are all-natural, organic, kosher, gluten-free and made from non-GMO ingredients – and distinctive flavors have since earned them inclusion in Whole Foods throughout California, as well as various aquariums, delis and amusement parks.

And while she couldn’t be happier about the success, Kraszewski sees it primarily as a means to a much more important end.

“To me, the whale tail is the symbol of ocean conservation,” she said. “We’re trying to make a difference in our environment and our ocean, one chip at a time.”

http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/06/30/la-jolla-entrepreneur-teams-up-with-wyland/

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Sales of a Healthy Snack Will Help Funding of Ocean Conservation Efforts

San Diego, CA, June 14, 2011 – Whale Tails Tortilla Chips announces an exciting new partnership with the Wyland Foundation. With Wyland’s artwork featured on chip bags and Whale Tails’ launch of two new chip flavors, this partnership reflects a commitment to work together in playing a pivotal role in the future of our oceans.

“The Wyland Foundation matches our company’s ideals,” said Terry Kraszewski, CEO and Co-Founder of Whale Tails Tortilla Chips. “We are excited that a portion of the sales of our new bags will go to such a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to protecting our oceans and marine life through creative ‘hands on’ approaches to education and stewardship.”

Founded by the world-renowned artist Wyland, who is best known for murals depicting whales and marine life, the Wyland Foundation works to bridge the gap between art and science through education programs, public arts projects, and community events. Now, Wyland’s brilliantly rendered art will be featured on the packaging for Whale Tails Tortilla Chips’ line of all-natural tortilla chips.

“Wyland licensed three original oil paintings to use for our new flavors. Our Hawaiian Barbeque with a hint of sun-dried mango, features ‘Dawn of Creation,’ painted by Wyland in 2003. The Blue Corn with Chia Seeds’ bag showcases ‘Orca Journey,’ painted by Wyland in 1990. Our original flavor, Yellow Corn with Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt features ‘Hawaii Endangered Species,’ created by Wyland in 2006,” said Kraszewski. “Proceeds from our sales will go toward helping thousands of school children learn about ocean conservation, which is the real inspiration energizing this partnership. It’s a perfect fit, for a perfect shape that makes perfect sense for everyone!”

“Partnering with Whale Tails Tortilla Chips is a great opportunity for our foundation that will help us support teachers, develop educational materials, and expand our outreach,” said Wyland. “We’ve already brought ocean conservation tools to more than one million children, now we look forward to reaching the next million.”

Healthy snacking and helping the environment has never tasted so good. Whale Tails Tortilla Chips are now available in three flavors and use only natural, organic, kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients. Whale Tails Tortilla Chips are sold at Whole Foods in Southern and Northern California, many aquariums and local specialty food stores.

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Whale Tails Tortilla Chips founded in 2006 is quickly adding retail accounts after being featured as Snack of the Day on Rachael Ray, along with a segment on the Food Network’s popular series: “Road Tasted with the Neelys.” Whale Tails was selected as the 2010 funding recipient of Whole Foods Local Producer Loan Program for meeting their high standards of business practices in creating and distributing the most innovative new brand of organic tortilla chips on the market today.

Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/whaletailschips

About Wyland:

Marine life artist Wyland has done more than any other artist to raise awareness of the beauty of life on our blue planet. His Wyland Foundation is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around the country about our oceans, river, lakes, streams, and wetlands. He is an official artist for the U.S. Olympic team, hosted his own shows on Discovery Channel, PBS, and is perhaps best known for his Whaling Wall murals, a series of monumental environmentally themed artworks that are seen by more than one billion people every year. More at http://www.wylandfoundation.org/

From late December to early April, San Diego celebrates the migration of thousands of California Gray Whales. Their annual journey takes them from the Bering Sea, past the San Diego coast, to the protected warm waters off Baja California, Sonora and Sinoloa. The longest migration route of any mammal, the gray whales travel nearly 13,000 miles round trip each year.

Businesses along San Diego’s Big Bay invited everyone to the the third annual Free Community Event “Big Bay Whale Festival” at the Embarcadero Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. For the entire month of January, San Diego celebrates Big Bay Whale Days with “Whale of a Deal” DISCOUNT COUPONS to experience the Big Bay and witness firsthand the annual gray whale migration along our coast. The event  featured free whale and dolphin watching cruises for kids 12 and under.  The Whale Festival was held in the newly developed Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier, located on the corner of Harbor Drive and Broadway in Downtown San Diego.

The free Whale Festival offered a wide variety of interactive and hands on displays to spark the interest and imagination of any child including a walk-through whale, live sea creatures, face painting, art projects, and a bounce house. Attendees enjoyed a “CONCERT FOR WHALES” featuring Nadro John. Also performing was Eve Selis and her band. Local artist Roni Sumer contributed the original beautiful art logo for Big Bay Whale Days and Whale festival.

High-lightening  the festival food area was San Diego’s favorite organic tortilla chip company Whale Tails Chips. These locally made chips are in the shape of a whale’s tail. The company was started by local surfers with a love of organic food and a mission for ocean conservation. Whole Foods Markets recently rewarded their efforts to reduce plastic in our oceans with a “Local Producer Loan” to finish development of the first “Ocean-Friendly”tm tortilla chip bag that will be released in 2011 along with two new flavors.

The food area also included Doc Popcorn, Matheny Wagon Works, Miguels Catering, Joes Crab Shack, and the NEW Gourmet Food Truck, ” Patty Melt”, with Chef Deborah Scott.

Other 2011 Whale Festival Exhibitors included American Cetacean Society San Diego Chapter, Barona Culture Center and Museum, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Chula Vista Nature Center, I love a Clean San Diego, San Diego River Park Foundation, Sierra Club San Diego Chapter, Gray Whale Coalition, Harbor Excursion and Hornblower Cruises and Events

Whale watching season has become one of San Diego’s favorite times of the year. The Big Bay Whale Days and Whale Festival provide the community with the best place to learn about California gray whale ecology and conservation and find information about opportunities to interact with the whales safely and affordably.

Participants were encouraged to ride Amtrak California Pacific Surfliner to participate in Big Bay Whale Days

Whale Tails Chips announces expanded Southern California Distributon with Gourmet Merchants International, (GMI),in Gardena California.

Ric Kraszewski, VP Sales, of Whale Tails Chips met with Seth Feldman, GMI’s Director of Sales in his office in Gardena California and the two hit it off instantly. Ric said “as a mission driven company, it is important to Whale Tails Chips, to be with GMI because they can appreciate the value of quality and the passion that goes into our certified organic, gluten free, and kosher tortilla chips.” Seth agreed and added, “the most common reaction I have gotten when I ask friends, family and colleagues to sample the Whale Tail Tortilla Chips – “This is the best chip I have ever tasted!” I am glad that we are doing business together.”

GMI has earned the reputation as the “go-to source” and consummate niche distributor in Southern California. Gourmet Merchants International will provide distribution of Whale Tails Chips to Whole Foods SoPac region in addition to gourmet, natural and independent grocery markets from San Diego to Santa Barbara.

Ms Terry Kraszewski, CEO of Whale Tails Chips, said “We like the fact that Gourmet Merchants International does business the old fashioned way; by offering excellent service, at a fair price, and delivered on time.”

ABOUT GMI Distributon:

GMI distributes an exciting variety of domestic and imported specialty food products ranging from hand crafted European traditions to the most innovative items that the new generation of American chefs and entrepreneurs are creating. They are a company that is committed to serving the independent marketplace and their focus remains on providing an array of foods that will make their customers’ product mix stand out from the everyday.