TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — PlayHard GiveBack (PHGB), a newly launched social enterprise based out of Ketchum, Idaho working with Kaili’s Creative Kitchen in Truckee, announced this week the release of ATHLEATS Performance Trail Mix. Based on customized flavor profiles, mixes are created by PHGB-supported athletes and will be available in each athlete’s hometown area at outdoors stores, supermarkets, and gift shops. Sales from ATHLEATS help support these local athletes in pursuing their athletic dreams and a social cause or project being undertaken by each athlete, and promotes PHGB’s aim of developing athletes beyond sport.

Co-founder Spencer Brendel, a senior business major and student/athlete at the University of St. Thomas, introduced and sold his own trail mix blend which featured him and the UST Men’s Hockey Team at their final home game of the season. A percentage of the profit will go back to a social cause to be determined by the Men’s Hockey Team. Currently Spencer and his PHGB Team have partnered with Truckee resident Kaili Sanchez to develop trail mixes for 10-15 up-and-coming athletes, creating custom flavor profiles for each of them with labels that feature the athlete and his or her story on the packaging. These bags are then sold in each of the athlete’s hometown markets, creating a “hyper-local” effect and giving back to the communities.

Currently, PHGB is selling its ATHLEATS brand trail mix in Tahoe City, Squaw Valley, Truckee and Kings Beach, at Coffeebar, Cooking Gallery, Trout Creek Recreation Center, Burger Me!, Full Belly Deli, New Moon, Wild Cherries, KidZone Museum, Glenshire Store, Alice’s Mountain Market, Soupa, Uncorked Squaw, Crest Café, Tahoe House and Tahoe Mountain Sports.

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PHGB-supported athletes and their causes include: Marco Sullivan, U.S. Ski Team working with the High Fives Foundation; Travis Ganong, U.S. Ski Team working with the Lake Tahoe Ski Club Foundation Scholarship; Alexa Turzian, 2014 Cross Country Olympic hopeful working with Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Scholarship program; Rebecca Rusch, four-time World Mt. Bike Champion working with Wood River Bike Coalition; Tia Wing Berrymore, 2014 Olympic hopeful half-pipe skier working with SVSEF; Lexi DuPont, Big Mountain skier/filmmaker working with Higher Ground; Joey Sides, ECHL/AHL hockey player working to bring clean water to kids in Africa; and the Whole Athlete Mt. Bike Team based out of Marin, Calif., working with Trips for Kids.

For more information, visit http://www.playhardgiveback.com or facebook.com/playhardgiveback.

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About PlayHard GiveBack

PlayHard GiveBack is an early stage start-up based on a social-profit model. “We have aligned ourselves with exceptional people, who happen to be outstanding athletes, in order to positively influence the world,” said Brendel, CEO of PHGB. “Our commitment is that every dollar that goes toward athletic development is matched with a buddy dollar that goes toward a social cause or project, and that dollars earned go back to our communities with the leadership of athlete role models who are committed to making a difference, and to utilizing their fitness of mind, body, and passion to elevate more than themselves.”