In the United States, nearly 20% of children face obesity according to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Sugar is the number one culprit, with the average American consuming 17 teaspoons of sugar per day, mostly due to added sugars present in processed and ready-to-eat foods.

To tackle the sugar problem and inspire change within the food industry, former first lady Michelle Obama joined PLEZi Nutrition as co-founder and strategic partner. Announcing the company’s launch during the Wall Street Journal “Future of Everything Festival”, she spoke about her past frustration when looking for healthy food options for her kids and her commitment to addressing the health crisis, which influenced her to get involved by starting a food company. “Our call isn’t just to provide healthy drinks and snacks for kids, but to jumpstart a race to the top that will transform the entire food industry,” highlighted Obama in her speech. Recognizing the current gap for healthy, tasty and affordable products in the food and beverage industry, she wants her brand to make it easier for parents to select healthier products that kids will enjoy.

This venture marks a continuation of her commitment to health, which started when she was first lady and launched the “Let’s Move” initiative, which aimed to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle for kids by improving the federal school nutrition standards and influencing food manufacturers and restaurant chains to reduce sugar and saturated fats in their foods.

The company’s first launch is a line of four fruit drinks, a strategic decision made after realizing that added sugar beverages represent the main source of sugar intake for kids. Compared to the leading fruit juices that average 30g of sugar per 8 ounces, PLEZi offers four different flavors that contain only 6g of sugar per serving and no added sugar

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