For Immediate Release
September 28, 2021
UFC® ANNOUNCES MAJOR PARTNERSHIP WITH ICON MEALS
Agreement Features Comprehensive Nutritional Services for
UFC Athletes
ICON Meals Named “Official Meal Delivery Partner of UFC”
UFC Purchases Equity Stake in Leading Meal Prep Company
LAS VEGAS and FARMERS BRANCH, Texas. – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and ICON Meals, a leading producer of fresh and healthy ready-made meals, today announced an innovative partnership that will grow the existing, industry-leading nutrition program available to UFC athletes through the UFC Performance Institute.
ICON Meals will become the Official Meal Delivery Partner of UFC and will collaborate with UFC on new nutritional support services to assist UFC athletes during their fight camp and fight week stages of preparation. UFC will also purchase an equity stake in ICON Meals. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
ICON Meals manufactures and markets high-protein, chef-created and customized fully prepared meals, a la carte proteins and sides, as well as a variety of clean seasonings and protein-focused snacks. The company has grown at an annualized rate of 56% since its founding in 2014.
UFC ATHLETE NUTRITION PROGRAM
UFC’s Athlete Nutrition Program was first created by the UFC Performance Institute in 2018 and has grown to become a fundamental part of both fight-camp and fight-week preparations for many UFC athletes. Since its inception, the program has safely supported over 500 athletes through more than 1,200 instances of the weight-making process. In 2020, the Athlete Nutrition Program successfully supported hundreds of UFC athletes at 39 of 41 UFC events.
“ICON Meals is extremely proud to be named the Official Meal Delivery Service of UFC, “ said Todd Abrams, CEO of ICON Meals. “Our meals, hand crafted by chefs, are aligned with the goals of UFC’s nutrition program. We’re honored to contribute to the health and performance of the UFC athletes.”
“The health and safety of UFC athletes is an ongoing priority for us and a primary reason why we have made this investment in ICON Meals,” said Lawrence Epstein, UFC Chief Operating Officer. “This partnership with ICON Meals is the next evolution of a nutrition program that has safely and successfully supported hundreds of athletes since 2018. We looking forward to collaborating with ICON on developing the program and continuing its success for years to come.”
The UFC Performance Institute and ICON Meals will work together to offer custom ready-made meal plans for UFC athletes who are scheduled to participate in upcoming UFC events and who choose to opt into the program. All processes associated with weight management and weight making will be supported through the program at no additional cost to the athletes. The program’s wide-ranging services begin from the first phase of an athlete’s fight camp (approximately 8-12 weeks in advance of their bout), through the weight management process leading to weigh-ins, and finally, through the post-weigh-in nutrition plan during fight week.
BRANDED INTEGRATIONS AND ENTITLEMENTS
In addition to being named the Official Meal Delivery Partner of UFC, the partnership offers ICON Meals a variety of branded integrations into UFC assets. ICON Meals will be named Presenting Partner of UFC Fight Night Weigh-Ins for U.S.-based events and will also have a branded presence at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. UFC and ICON Meals will also collaborate on custom and original content that will be distributed across UFC-owned social media channels and digital platforms. The agreement also provides for an annual Brand Ambassador fund that offers significant paid marketing opportunities to participating UFC athletes.
For more information on ICON Meals, please visit iconmeals.com.
About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 166 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.
About ICON Meals
Headquartered in Farmers Branch, Texas, ICON Meals, which has grown at an annualized rate of 56% since its founding in 2014, is a leading meal delivery service with a mission to make healthy eating affordable, easy to access, delicious and nutritious. ICON’s innovative approach to everyday nutrition is driven by two priorities – protein and convenience. ICON’s ready-to-eat meals, sides, snacks and clean seasonings are delivered where and when consumers want them. ICON’s Meals owns and operates out of its state-of-the-art USDA-inspected facility. Owning 100% of production gives ICON complete control over the quality and safety of its meals, which differentiates it within the prepared meals industry. The Signature Menu features robust, nutrient-dense meals that are rotated weekly, including options for custom-made meals. Specially trained chefs create meals and snacks that allow people the freedom to enjoy food without sacrificing health, food safety, quality, or individuality. To learn more about ICON Meals, visit www.iconmeals.com and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Press Contact:
Brian Smith
702-956-6566
bsmith@ufc.com