87 Percent of Consumers are Committed to Celebrating

Even though gatherings will look different this year, people still want to celebrate the good

GARNER, N.C., Oct. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 2020 has forced people to rearrange their routines and plans, including their Thanksgiving celebrations, but many are looking forward to celebrating the good and still want to make the holiday special. Thanks to the iconic Butterball Turkey Talk-Line – operating remotely from their own homes this year for the first time in history – hosts can count on expert advice for planning, prepping and cooking the perfect meal, no matter what their gathering looks like.

People will be hosting smaller gatherings and traveling less this year, creating more first-time hosts and overall celebrations. In addition to its time-tested turkey tips, Butterball has created video tutorials with advice for the times to help both new and seasoned hosts reimagine their holiday plans.

These new tips will be brought to life through an online Turkey Talk-Line content series in partnership with lifestyle influencer Rosalynn Daniels (@rosalynndaniels). The videos share timely advice like how to keep well-loved traditions alive, the best way to plan smaller gatherings and suggestions for creative ways to make good use of all those tasty leftovers.

“The holidays will look different this year, but nearly three-quarters of consumers say celebrating Thanksgiving will help reestablish normalcy. So, helping people enjoy it is more important than ever,” Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Director Nicole Johnson said. “First and foremost, we encourage everyone to refer to their local and state public health guidelines to ensure safe celebrations. Whether you’re a seasoned host shifting your annual extended family bash to a small gathering with your household, a first-time host coming together with your inner circle or you have yet to decide what the day will look like, the Turkey Talk-Line will be there to help you plan ahead or pull things together at the last second. We’ve been answering turkey questions for nearly 40 years, and we’re excited to continue doing so from our very own kitchens to help you celebrate the good this year.”

A recent study* conducted by Butterball found people still want to celebrate Thanksgiving, despite the changes that must be made. According to the survey:

Consumers are committed to celebrating Thanksgiving – nearly 90% of consumers say they’ll make the Thanksgiving meal happen, even if the celebration looks a little different this year.
Over 75% are looking for ways to make Thanksgiving easier or simpler.
More than half are open to pre-made sides to make Thanksgiving as simple and convenient as they can.
One-third of consumers are considering outdoor Thanksgiving for social distancing.
17% of people said they learned to cook better while they’ve been at home and feel more confident to cook a meal this Thanksgiving.

In addition to support from calls, texts and the online Turkey Talk-Line, a Butterball Turkey Talk-Line expert will be available to answer turkey questions via Instagram Live on Thaw Day, Thursday, Nov. 19. The session will be hosted by lifestyle influencer Rosalynn Daniels.

To learn more about the ways the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is supporting home cooks everywhere, visit Butterball.com or Butterball’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels.

The uniqueness of this year’s challenges has strengthened Butterball’s commitment to helping fight food insecurity, particularly in its home communities, as the core of the company’s philanthropic mission. The company recognizes that the events of 2020 have widened the equity gap in America, and in response, donated turkey to provide more than one million meals toward pandemic relief through partnerships with Feeding America and Operation BBQ Relief. Additionally, the company is donating turkey to provide more than 100,000 servings of Thanksgiving through independent hunger relief initiatives.

Expert Advice Anytime, Anywhere: Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts will be available Nov. 2 through Dec. 24, with extended hours the week of Thanksgiving. With decades of Thanksgivings under their belts, Butterball’s experts are a holiday staple and a source of vital turkey knowledge. You can reach the Turkey Talk-Line via:

Butterball Skill for Amazon Alexa: Users can simply say, “Alexa, ask Butterball…” to enable the skill. Once enabled, just ask the Butterball skill your cooking questions and hear trusted Talk-Line experts share answers. Users can even watch how-to videos on compatible Alexa-enabled devices (Echo Show, Echo Spot and Amazon Fire TV).
Website: With coupons, trusted recipes, step-by-step how-to videos and key tips for success, everything you need is accessible at Butterball.com.
- NEW: Check out the online Turkey Talk-Line section of the site for brand new videos addressing your top questions and Thanksgiving advice for the times with tips from Rosalynn Daniels – including how to host smaller gatherings, how to plan for leftovers, and how to make the holiday feel special.
Text (844-877-3456): With nearly one in three first-time cooks saying they’d text the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line for cooking help, it only makes sense that, for the fourth year in a row, the Turkey Talk-Line offers text support in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372): Turkey Talk-Line experts will be available to answer questions and assist all holiday cooks.
How-To Videos: Need a visual guide? Check out our fun and helpful instructional videos at Butterball.com and YouTube.
Facebook and Twitter: Help is available through the Butterball Facebook and Twitter pages with tips, special savings and more.
Pinterest: Find Thanksgiving recipe inspiration for your holiday celebrations on the Butterball Pinterest page.
Instagram: Follow Butterball on Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look at recipe inspiration for your Thanksgiving meal and more.
Live Chats: Engage with turkey experts through live chat on Butterball.com and receive real-time suggestions and advice.
Email: Email Butterball using this form and receive helpful tips right to your inbox.

*SURVEY METHODOLOGY: These are the findings from a poll conducted September 4 - 8, 2020 on behalf of Butterball. For the survey, a sample of 1,004 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.

About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the Turkey Talk-Line has helped almost 50 million consumers since its first season in November 1981. Each November and December, professionally trained turkey experts assist more than 4 million cooks through the Turkey Talk-Line, Butterball.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Butterball Skill for Alexa, live chat and emails in the United States and Canada. With more than 50 staff members, the Turkey Talk-Line has the resources to answer questions from both English- or Spanish-speaking callers and respond to questions via email.

About Butterball
Headquartered in Garner, N.C., Butterball is the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. – producing more than 1 billion pounds of turkey each year. For more than 65 years, the company has provided foodservice and retail products to customers and consumers around the world. As an industry leader in quality, food safety and animal well-being, the company employs numerous processes to ensure the health of flocks and implements recognized prevention measures to exceed food safety standards. Butterball products are currently distributed throughout the U.S. and in more than 45 countries. Butterball operates seven processing plants located in North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri.

For consumer questions or information, please visit Butterball.com or call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372).

Four photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b127724-ecd4-43d9-b449-2a0b9d8eb188

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/169a9c59-eecd-4f12-8d97-a504c8cc2c40

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f885b075-55ee-49b5-929f-ec278133e331

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f02f7a33-22a9-4011-b44a-e95884d3174e

Five PDFs accompanying this announcement are available at:

Butterball Holiday 2020 Fact Sheet: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/2a0f3496-f7cd-4ad0-b6ea-93cd18acdc33

Herb and Citrus Butter Roasted Whole Turkey: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d0d813a3-e18e-4659-a05e-b0dcd2216eb9

Easy Leftover Turkey Dumpling Soup: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/4590e273-2d14-48ae-9f92-ab03079520a2

Easy Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Sliders: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/9d55a21b-037e-4524-b882-0e2d9bdcfd3d

Leftover Turkey Skillet Enchiladas: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/f977edb8-48e4-475b-924e-057d87e008a8