Wonderful® Pistachios, America’s number one snack nut, announced today a partnership with gaming organization Panda Global as an Official Snack of the Panda Cup, the first North American Super Smash Bros.™ circuit to be officially licensed by Nintendo. Wonderful Pistachios will also be the title sponsor of the “Wonderful Pistachios Last Chance Qualifier” on December 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. 

The “Wonderful Pistachios Last Chance Qualifier” is a day-long event that is free and open to the public. Participants and attendees can enjoy a Wonderful Pistachios activation booth while sampling No Shells pistachios, available in Roasted & Salted, Honey Roasted, Chili Roasted, Smoky Barbecue and Sea Salt & Vinegar flavors – the perfect guilt-free, great-tasting, one-handed gaming snack with six grams of protein in every one ounce serving. 

“The Super Smash Bros. franchise and family-centric nature of Nintendo make the opportunity to be a part of this historic Panda Cup a natural fit,” said Diana Salsa, associate vice president of marketing, Wonderful Pistachios. “The team at Panda Global is providing us with an amazing opportunity in competitive gaming to share our flavorful, protein-forward snack nuts with new audiences on multiple touchpoints throughout the circuit.” 

As part of the partnership, Wonderful Pistachios will serve as the Analyst Desk sponsor for its Last Chance Qualifier and the Panda Cup Finale, which takes place from December 16-18 and offers a $100,000 prize pool for the winners. In addition to the in-person events, the qualifying rounds and finale will be broadcast on Twitch, where viewers will see Wonderful Pistachios ad spots featuring the disgruntled No Shells mascot, Sheldon the tortoise. Sheldon is upset with the brand managers of Wonderful Pistachios No Shells for their “anti-shell” advertising; however, No Shells is the perfect snack for gaming as it is healthy, delicious, and can be poured straight from the bag - no shell cracking required! 

The Panda Cup follows Panda Global’s partnership with video game company Nintendo, enabling it to host licensed tournament circuits for Super Smash Bros.

"I've always made sure to have a bag of Wonderful Pistachios in my pantry long before we found out they're big fans of Super Smash Bros.,” said Alan Bunney, CEO of Panda Global. “We're very excited that Wonderful Pistachios is joining the Panda Cup to celebrate our community and help us take things to the next level. And I'm looking forward to all the pistachio flavors they're bringing with them!"

According to a report by MRI Simmons, 47 million U.S. adults are esports fans with more than 80% of fans reporting that they eat or drink while watching competitive gaming. The convenience of Wonderful Pistachios No Shells, combined with the great variety of flavors, makes marathon gaming (and snacking) easy for fans.  

Wonderful Pistachios are one of the only snack nuts that are a complete and good source of protein. Pistachios also offer fiber and unsaturated fats for a trio of nutrients that may help keep snackers feeling fuller for longer, a beneficial combination for competitive gaming and longer gaming sessions. 

For more information about Wonderful Pistachios visit WonderfulPistachios.com, YouTube at @WonderfulPistachios, Facebook at /WonderfulPistachios, and Instagram at @WonderfulPistachios.

About Wonderful Pistachios

Wonderful Pistachios is the world's largest vertically integrated pistachio processor and marketer. Located in California's Central Valley, our nuts are Non-GMO Project Verified, providing a smart, healthy choice for consumers around the world. Our nuts can be found in stores nationwide and online under the flagship brand, Wonderful® Pistachios. For more, visit: wonderfulpistachios.com, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Wonderful Pistachios is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $5 billion company that also has iconic brands such as Wonderful® Halos®, FIJI® Water, POM Wonderful®, JUSTIN® Wine, and Teleflora®. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.

About The Panda Cup

The Panda Cup is a licensed North American Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Melee Competitive circuit featuring qualifying events across the USA, Canada and Mexico. The circuit strives to create and foster a fun and welcoming space for players to compete while simultaneously boosting support for Super Smash Bros. tournaments and competitors. 

Contact The Panda Cup on Twitter twitter.com/pandacup, visit website pandacup.com or email pandacup@panda.gg.