Nolan Ryan Brands (NRB) said it is planning a series of special events at selected Kroger stores in Dallas to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Kroger. The celebration kicked off Sunday, March 13 with a legendary block party hosted by Kroger in Bartonville Square near Dallas.

“We are proud to continue this long-standing, exclusive partnership with Kroger, the country’s premier grocer,” said Nolan Ryan Brands President Cody Marburger. “For two decades, we have joined hands to provide families across the state of Texas with the highest-quality premium beef products available, locally sourced and produced while making animal welfare a priority. That’s worthy of a huge celebration!”

The first in a series of store-based events in the Dallas area celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Nolan Ryan-Kroger partnership took place on Sunday, March 13 from noon – 3p.m. at Kroger located at 3400 FM 407 East in Bartonville, Texas. Attendees can expect to enjoy Nolan Ryan Beef samples, appearances by special guests, entertainment for kids, music provided by on-site DJs, and a host of other surprises and prizes given away every 30 minutes. A $1,000 Barbecues Galore gift certificate will be given away at each event. The second celebration featuring a special Cowboys cheerleaders experience will take place on Saturday, March 26, at the Kroger located at 12221 Custer Road in Frisco. The third 20th anniversary celebration will be hosted at Kroger on Little Elm Parkway in Little Elm, Texas, on Sunday, March 27.

“Our relationship with Nolan Ryan Beef has been fruitful and rewarding,” said Kroger Marketing Manager Luis Ruiz. “They have been dependable, supportive partners and have helped us consistently deliver on the promise of freshness, innovation and affordable prices our founder made nearly 140 years ago when he opened the first Kroger store in Cincinnati. I hope people will come out and help us celebrate, sample the most outstanding beef they will ever taste and have a good time with their families.”

Nolan Ryan Brands has an exclusive agreement with Kroger to offer Nolan Ryan Beef products at select Kroger locations across Texas. Nolan Ryan Beef is proud to be the only Texas beef company to carry the USDA-Certified Tender shield. This means all Nolan Ryan Beef Texas Angus ribeyes, strips, tenderloins and porterhouse steaks undergo a third party validation and selection process, approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to ensure maximum tenderness with every bite. No other Texas beef company goes that extra mile to prove their products will be consistently tender.

Later this year, a full-length documentary on Nolan Ryan called “Facing Nolan” will debut. Filmed over the past two years, the documentary will chronicle the record-breaking career of the 1999 Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, as told by the hitters who faced him and the teammates who revered him. It will also tell the parallel story of Ryan’s lifelong passion for ranching, featuring scenes of him working cattle and living the ranching lifestyle that is behind every product with the Nolan Ryan brand.

Having bought his first heifer at age 10, Nolan Ryan’s ranching connections go back even farther than his connections to baseball. He is a master cattle rancher and has owned a cattle operation for more than 40 years. The Nolan Ryan Beef brand is about more than just offering fine quality and great flavor; it is also about doing what’s right for NRB customers and livestock. Nolan Ryan Brands is currently the only branded beef company utilizing the Temple Grandin Compassionate Care Program in effort to help ensure cattle going into the program are treated with respect—raised, fed and harvested using only the highest ethical standards.

“We are proud of our partnership with Kroger because they share our passion for freshness and excellence,” said Marburger. “And we are proud of everything Nolan Ryan Brands has done to enrich the heritage and value of Texas beef, while actively working to progressively promote the humane treatment of animals and provide consumers beef products that are superior to others in the market.”

Source: Nolan Ryan Brands