Springfield, IL Ahh, bacon. It’s in a class of its own these days – one
with a cult-like following! Aside from the traditional bacon and eggs, BLTs and
bacon cheeseburgers, a new bevy of offerings that incorporate the delicacy has
arrived, including chocolate-covered bacon, bacon jellybeans, even
bacon-flavored vodka! And it doesnt stop there. A whole host of consumer
products are using the mouth-watering meat’s popularity to their advantage –
adhesive bandages that look like bacon, bacon-flavored toothpicks and bacon
wallets are among the mix!
The bacon buzz has inspired “Baconfest Chicago” and the Illinois Pork Producers
Association is taking this unique opportunity to connect with hundreds of
bacon-lovers in the Windy City, on April 10 at the Stan Mansion in Logan Square,
Chicago.
“I’d be hard-pressed to name someone who does NOT like bacon,” said Brent
Scholl, president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, a pork producer
from Polo, IL. “It’s in a league of its own! And by the response to the event,
we know we’ll be in the company of dedicated bacon enthusiasts.”
Event organizers Michael Griggs, Andre “Vonbaconvich” Pluess and Seth Zurer came
up with the idea, but weren’t sure how many people would share their fanaticism
and jump on the bacon bandwagon.
“Self-doubt and trepidation plagued us,” stated Pluess in a blog post on the day
tickets went on sale. “We are three dudes, friends from varied vocations, who
share a love of bacon.”
The response by Chicagoans, and bacon lovers throughout the U.S., was loud and
clear: Baconfest Chicago sold out in mere minutes. BRING ON THE BACON! The event
will play host to 750 bacon-crazed fanatics.
“Bacon beer, bacon desserts, a bacon poetry contest, an amateur bacon cook-off –
if you can dream it up, it will probably be there,” said Erin Cleary, director
of marketing and education at the Illinois Pork Producers Association. “This
event and the focus of Illinois Pork is an obvious ‘dream team.’ We have an
audience who can’t get enough of a product our members are proud to provide
them.”
The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) represents every pork
producer/hog farmer/bacon-maker in the state. That comes to more than 2,900
people who play a role in bringing delicious bacon (and pork loin, ham,
pepperoni, sausage all things pork!) to the taste buds of the true bacon
aficionado!
When asked about IPPA’s role at Baconfest Chicago, Scholl said, “Aside from the
fact that we will be in the midst of friends of the pork industry from a meat
case perspective, we’ll have an opportunity to talk to consumers about what we
do to ensure they get the high-quality pork products they love.”
In addition, IPPA will be taking the opportunity to expand the impact of their
“Pork Power” initiative. Pork Power was launched in 2008 with the goal of
helping fight hunger in Illinois. It provides a system for producers to donate
pork to food banks associated with Feeding Illinois, a partner to Feeding
America – the US’s largest hunger relief organization. To date, Pork Power has
generated more than 124,500 pounds of pork, or nearly 500,000 meals to families
throughout Illinois.
“Baconfest Chicago attendees can choose to make a free-will donation to the
‘Pork Power’ campaign,” Scholl explained, “All proceeds raised will go towards
purchases of pork for the program.”
Scholl, along with all of Illinois’ pork producers, is proud to produce the pork
that will be celebrated at Baconfest. They do so with a commitment to ensuring
pork is safe, animals are treated well, the environment is protected, employees
are well trained and respected, and that their neighbors and communities
benefit.
“Producing pork gives my peers and me the opportunity to provide safe and
nutritious food for our families, for our neighbors throughout Illinois and for
people across the globe. An event like Baconfest is just icing on the cake or
in this case, bacon on the burger!”
Looking forward to sharing his expertise as a presenter at Baconfest, Scholl
said, “It will be interesting to see the variety of people that come out to
publically profess their adoration for bacon!”
You can connect with Illinois Pork at http://www.facebook.com/ilpork and see all
activities related to Baconfest Chicago at
http://www.baconfestchicago.com/.
The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is an agricultural trade
association representing more than 2,900 pork producers throughout Illinois and
the Illinois pork industry, which contributes more than $1.7 billion and more
than 7,800 jobs to the States economy. IPPA is comprised of county pork
producer groups in approximately 20 counties throughout Illinois. IPPA is an
affiliate of the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board.