United With Earth has made great strides this decade in catering to people of Middle Eastern descent with its Persian cucumbers and Medjool dates, and the Berkeley, CA-based company will be starting 2020 off with a huge partnership. Daryoush Davidi and Alysia Montaño.

Starting in January, the company will introduce its new label and begin a celebrity sponsorship with 2012 Olympic athlete and middle-distance runner Alysia Montaño, a seven-time United States champion, who gained even more prominence for a 2014 race that she competed while eight months pregnant.

“She is bold and growing fast just like United With Earth. She is from Berkeley, just like us and we look forward to working with her,” said Daryoush Davidi, the company’s founder. “Post having kids, she has dedicated her life to women’s empowerment, healthy eating and fitness.”

As part of the partnership, Montaño will be featured along with celebrity chef Penny in all of the company’s marketing materials, featured as partners and brand and product educators.

Montaño has picked up a lot of momentum recently after announcing she is promoting legal and fair contracts for pregnant athletes.

“She’s a winner dedicated to success; she sees challenges as opportunities,” Davidi said. “Alysia will not stop striving for great outcomes. She is an advocate for healthy living and eating. She is perfectly aligned with our brand and our company’s philosophy and mission. I feel our brand fits the direction she is heading.”

Davidi said United With Earth has positioned itself in leading the category in marketing and branding and has every intention of keeping the accelerated sales growth momentum in the year ahead.

The introduction of the company’s Super Fruit Snack Pack has proven to be a sought-after product and has been a very hot seller in 2019. The product features coconut date roll, almond date rolls, Medjool dates and walnuts.

“Our boost in sales came partially in recognizing the importance of building a brand that consumers can trust,” he said. “I feel what sets us apart from others is that we evolve and transform in a rapidly growing industry. We engage in partnerships that enhance our brand and educate the market place on all the fabulous ways they can enjoy our super fruits.”

 Not that the rise has been easy. From the beginning, the company has had challenges due to being the new kids on the block.

“We consider those challenges true opportunities,” Davidi said. “Our buyers have found by giving the new guy a shot in their stores, they have not only sold more of our product, they have found a true partner in profitability and growth in sales in our product category.”

Another challenge, he noted, is educating consumers on value of the brand verses some brands that have market share from sheer longevity.

“We tend to be creatures of habit and are sometimes apprehensive to try something new,” Davidi said. “We are proud to say that many buyers are getting on board with United With Earth and we invite others to join them.”

United With Earth’s rise is not unnoticed in the industry. Davidi said the company’s approach to branding has influenced many of its competitors, who are rethinking their branding and packaging.

“We consider this a testimony to our efforts of raising the bar in our marketplace,” he said. “We will continue to maintain our trusted and desired brand and keep a pulse on our consumers’ desires where our products are concerned and run our own race to maintain our fast and steady growth.”

United With Earth’s mission has always been to preserve the past yet cater to a more modern demographic that’s looking for a cleaner, simpler label, and desire a product with nutritional value and health benefits.

“I feel when a consumer buys a brand they want to make sure they are investing with a company that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible and healthy,” Davidi said. “This has always been our goal and part of our success. Our desire is to maintain integrity in all that we do and to provide quality products, services and loyal partnerships with our buyers and consumers.”