The Popular Protein Brand is Partnering with Charlotte's What The Fries to Serve Locally Inspired Dishes Delivered Directly to Attendees on Land and in the Lake

SMITHFIELD, Va., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, June 11, Smithfield^® is hosting its one-of-a-kind Hot Grill Summer Cookout and Movie event at Lake Norman, where North Carolina residents and out-of-towners can enjoy a free activity-packed day-to-evening experience spanning land and lake!

All are welcome to join the festivities, which will kick off at Lake Norman State Park Picnic Grounds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees will be treated to free food from a signature menu, lawn games, a live DJ, and giveaways.

For the ultimate guest enjoyment, the brand is teaming up with chefs Gregory Williams and Jamie Barnes, owners of Charlotte hot spot What The Fries, to create flavor-packed, locally inspired eats featuring Smithfield^® St. Louis Style Spareribs, Bone-In Pork Butt, Hometown Original Thick Cut Bacon, and Anytime Favoritesä Cubed Ham. Chefs Williams and Barnes will have their food truck on-site to personally craft their culinary creations – including Smithfield Gold Finger Spareribs, Smithfield Spicy Strawberry Vinegar Pulled Pork BBQ Fries, and Smithfield Cubed Ham with Mac & Cheese – and serve them up to hungry guests.

The best part? Event-goers won't have to interrupt their fun-in-the-sun to indulge. Meals can be ordered using QR codes displayed on Smithfield-branded buoys in the lake or signage on the beach. Food will be delivered directly to boats on the lake by servers on jet skis or on foot, right to attendees' towels on the beach.

Once day turns to night, guests are invited to enjoy an interactive movie experience at nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Park Amphitheater in Statesville from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Pop-culture classic "The Goonies" will be shown and an array of favorite summertime games, from cornhole to Kan Jam, will be available for family fun. To make the savory night even sweeter, a range of complimentary snacking options will be offered during the movie, including Smithfield Maple Thick Cut Bacon-sprinkled popcorn and candied bacon.

"We're excited to share this one-of-a-kind experience with the North Carolina community, so they can spend a fun-filled day at the lake with their friends and family and enjoy some good food, as well," said Michael Merritt, senior director of brand marketing at Smithfield Foods. "We're delighted to team up with What The Fries on these unique and tasty recipes to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the local food scene, along with the Smithfield products that they know and love."

"At What The Fries, we're all about creativity and community, so we're excited to be on-site and cooking up delicious meals at Smithfield's Hot Grill Summer event. It's not every day your food gets delivered by jet ski!" said Gregory Williams, chef and owner of What The Fries.

"We loved using Smithfield products to craft these truly unique and flavor-packed dishes. We can't wait for guests at Lake Norman to try them," said Jamie Barnes, chef and owner of What The Fries.

For further details, visit the official event page on Facebook.

Make sure to share your grilling masterpieces this season using the hashtag #HotGrillSummer. For more recipes to elevate your summertime festivities and to find Smithfield products, follow Smithfield on Facebook @SmithfieldBrand, Instagram @SmithfieldBrand, or Twitter @SmithfieldBrand, or visit www.smithfield.com.

About Smithfield
Smithfield^® isn't only a leading provider of high-quality pork products. We're a leading provider of the most important part of any meal: premium, high-quality meat. And we take our meat duties seriously. After all, the rest of the meal is just a side dish. Smithfield products were first introduced in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, by people who lived for the love of meat. Today, the Smithfield brand stands for craftsmanship, authenticity, and pure passion as we continue to give meat-lovers across the country the deliciousness they crave: our classic bacon, slow-smoked holiday hams, hand-trimmed ribs, marinated fresh pork, smoked meats, and even more meaty magic. All Smithfield products not only meet our customers' high flavor standards but also meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. All while being produced right here in the USA. To learn more about the Smithfield portfolio of products, please visit www.Smithfield.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Smithfield^® is a brand of Smithfield Foods, Inc.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. With more than 60,000 jobs globally, we are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.^®" and serve as one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield^®, Eckrich^® and Nathan's Famous^®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About What The Fries
Since 2015, What The Fries has been serving up elevated and unexpected dishes atop hand-cut fries, as well as handmade tots and sandwiches. The Charlotte-based, family-run restaurant and food truck is led by chef/owners Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams, both founding members of the popular dinner series Soul Food Sessions. The food truck was originally launched after the duo made it to the final rounds of auditions for Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race." What The Fries was featured on Cooking Channel's "Southern and Hungry" in 2018 and "Food Paradise" in 2022. The first What The Fries restaurant opened in March 2021. For more information, visit www.whatthefriesclt.com. 

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SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.