NFL Star Serves Plant-Based Lunch to His Football Camp

NFL player Mario Addison’s seventh annual football camp will feature a completely plant-based lunch menu. The Buffalo Bill’s defensive end will be partnering with Nabati Foods - a plant-based food technology company that offers a wide selection of nutritious, health-conscious foods - to bring 650 kids ages 8-18 plant-based lunches. Addison hosts this football camp in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, sponsored by the Mario Addison Community Partnership Organization.

Nabati Food will be providing plant-based burgers for all 650 participants in Addison’s football camp. The football camp will occur on June 26th from 9 am to 1 pm, giving young athletes a chance to try a fully nutritious and filling plant-based meal. While many athletic events and sports promote animal-based diets for protein, Addison and Nabati Food will be providing a protein-heavy, plant-based alternative.

“Nabati Foods is proud to sponsor this wonderful annual initiative led by Mario Addison to benefit the people of Birmingham,” Nabati Foods CEO Ahmad Yehya. “Nabati Foods recently launched our plant-based meat and cheeze products in the U.S., and this is the perfect way for us to celebrate that launch. Our products are created with care to be nutritious, healthy, delicious, and sustainable options for people of all ages. We look forward to being a part of this fantastic program in Alabama.”

Nabati Foods produces food that is free from the most common allergens and that is completely vegan and dairy-free. The company hopes to bring familiar favorites to consumers without animal products while also maximizing wellness and nutrition. With athletic performance becoming a central topic regarding plant-based diets, Nabati Foods and Addison’s partnership will work to shift the rhetoric around plant-based protein and the potential of athletic performance.

“The rise in popularity of plant-based diets is definitely fueled in large measure by the high of a volume of elite-level athletes recognizing the health and athletic performance benefits of alternative proteins,” Yehya said. “We’re confident that the young athletes will learn important football skills on the fields, as well as an appreciation for healthy plant protein.”

Addison is also promoting the legitimacy of plant-based proteins regarding athletic performance. The football player hopes that his football camp brings several skills to young athletes ranging from the field to the table. By teaming up with Nabati Food, Addison plans to provide an example of plant-based protein that can supplement the conventional foods that athletes consume.

“I am super excited to have Nabati sponsor and provide healthy plant-based lunches for participating kids,” Addison said. “I intentionally brought Nabati on board as I am a huge advocate for healthy food and wanted to show the kids that healthy plant-based food also can be delicious! I can’t thank Nabati enough for the support they are providing me and my foundation. Giving back to the community is a big part of who I am and it means a lot to me when a company shares the same passion.”

Founded in 2002, Nabati Foods has been developing several plant-based proteins including vegan chicken, grounds, fish burgers, and beef burgers. Beyond plant-based protein, the company has developed vegan cheeses and desserts as well. The Canada-based plant-based company has recently entered the US market, based in Seattle, Washington.