Javale McGee Challenges Fans to Try This Vegan Snack For Charity

Denver Nuggets star Javale McGee and his organization JUGLIFE will partner with plant-based food brand Outstanding Foods to donate water to children in need and promote the value of health and wellness regarding diet. The #HellaHotChallenge will ask people to donate to JUGLIFE to help the organization’s mission and outreach, and Outstanding Foods pledge to match the first $10,000 dollars. McGee kickstarted the challenge by nominating Diplo, Swae Lee, and Becky G while eating the “Hella Hot” Outstanding Puffs, challenging the other stars to try to snack on the spicy vegan puffs without breaking their poker face.

“From day one; Outstanding Foods has been a great partner in our collective mission to provide a more outstanding life to those who need it most,” McGee said. “Together with our team at JUGLIFE, we’re confident the #HellaHotChallenege will help us make a significant impact in our quest to provide education and clean water.”

With McGee’s influence, the company is aiming to motivate plant-based eaters to become involved in JUGLIFE’s charitable mission while informing followers about sustainability and nutritional plant-based alternatives. So far, the total participant follower account including the nominated and current celebrity investors reaches above 200 million, giving Outstanding Foods a wide platform to broadcast its products.

The centerpiece of the challenge is Outstanding Food’s signature spicy Outstanding Puffs. Currently, the puffs can be found on the company’s website alongside select retailers nationwide. The company boasts a delicious snack that contains iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamins B12, E, D, B6, A. The 3 oz bag is sold at $3.99 and is certified plant-based.

“At Outstanding Foods, we’re passionate about providing a more outstanding version of the foods that everyone loves,” CEO and co-founder Bill Glaser said. “We hope to provide a more delicious, sustainable, and, of course, plant-based version that’s easily accessible. Partnering with JaVale and JUGLIFE extends our mission into making lives more Outstanding through clean water.”

The #HellaHotChallenege plans to raise awareness about sustainability and its relationship with food by encouraging celebrities to participant in the challenge and subsequent donations. The challenge asks participants to encourage donations while also trying to eat as many Hella Hot puffs as possible in 30 seconds. If the participant can’t handle the heat, they get doused with water and must donate to the cause. The organization and company hope that together they can bring necessities to people across the globe who face water insecurity.

“It was important to us to partner with JUGLIFE because, not only do they bring clean water to communities in Africa who do not have access to this essential need, but they take it a huge step further,” Glaser told VegNews. “JUGLIFE educates kids around the world about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle which includes drinking more water. Their dedication to communities across the globe, including the US and in Africa, is nothing short of inspiring and it was a natural fit to come together for this unified cause.”

McGee adopted his plant-based diet in 2016, revealing his vegan change to NBA star Kevin Durant during his YouTube series, “Parking Lot Chronicles.” McGee explained that his plant-based diet helps him feel physically better, allowing him to perform better. The athlete then became one of the first investors in Outstanding Foods alongside music legend Snoop Dogg, helping the company secure a $5 million funding round. The NBA star has continued to vocalize his support for plant-based foods and companies since then, highlighting how he feels going plant-based help the body saying that a plant-based diet “led to an enormous improvement in [his] performance as an athlete.

“Shifting to a plant-based diet has been a literal game-changer,” McGee said, discussing plant-based giant Beyond Meat’s partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers. “And I’m excited to have my two favorite LA brands partnering to make plant-based eating not only delicious but accessible.