Wonderful Pistachios, the world's largest vertically integrated pistachio processor and marketer, announced a partnership with gaming organization Panda Global as an Official Snack of the Panda Cup, the first North American Super Smash Bros. circuit to be officially licensed by Nintendo.
Wonderful Pistachios will also be the title sponsor of the “Wonderful Pistachios Last Chance Qualifier” on December 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center – a day-long event that is free and open to the public.
Participants and attendees can enjoy a Wonderful Pistachios activation booth while sampling No Shells pistachios, available in Roasted & Salted, Honey Roasted, Chili Roasted, Smoky Barbecue and Sea Salt & Vinegar flavors – the perfect guilt-free, great-tasting, one-handed gaming snack with 6 grams of protein in every 1-ounce serving.
“The Super Smash Bros. franchise and family-centric nature of Nintendo make the opportunity to be a part of this historic Panda Cup a natural fit,” Diana Salsa, associate vice president of marketing, Wonderful Pistachios, said in the announcement. “The team at Panda Global is providing us with an amazing opportunity in competitive gaming to share our flavorful, protein-forward snack nuts with new audiences on multiple touchpoints throughout the circuit.”
As part of the partnership, Wonderful Pistachios will serve as the Analyst Desk sponsor for its Last Chance Qualifier and the Panda Cup Finale, which takes place December 16-18 and offers a $100,000 prize pool for the winners. In addition to the in-person events, the qualifying rounds and finale will be broadcast on Twitch, where viewers will see Wonderful Pistachios ad spots featuring the disgruntled No Shells mascot, Sheldon the tortoise. Sheldon is upset with the brand managers of Wonderful Pistachios No Shells for their “anti-shell” advertising; however, No Shells is the perfect snack for gaming as it is healthy, delicious, and can be poured straight from the bag - no shell cracking required.
The Panda Cup follows Panda Global’s partnership with video game company Nintendo, enabling it to host licensed tournament circuits for Super Smash Bros.
Wonderful Pistachios is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $5 billion company that also has iconic brands such as Wonderful Halos, FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, JUSTIN Wine, and Teleflora.
