Local Gourmet Spice Blends Support Veterans, Community — Salute Seasonings Available at Wegmans Nov. 1

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Monday, Oct. 13, 2014 — Seven new flavors of Salute Seasonings, a gourmet spice blend manufactured and packaged in Rochester, New York, will be available for sale at area Wegmans beginning Saturday Nov. 1, just in time for holiday baking and cooking season. Every Salute Seasonings purchase directly supports veterans and creates jobs in Rochester.

“One hundred percent of proceeds from our Salute Seasonings sales benefits comprehensive clinical therapy, vocational rehabilitation and temporary housing for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or military sexual trauma (MST) who are participating in CDS Monarch’s Warrior Salute program,” said Sankar Sewnauth, President and CEO of CDS Monarch.

CDS Monarch isa leading area nonprofit that provides support to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, veterans and seniors. Unistel, a subsidiary company, is the manufacturing and employment services division of CDS Monarch, which produces the Salute Seasonings spices that support CDS Monarch’s Warrior Salute program.

“All of the Unistel employees who are blending, measuring, bottling and labeling the Salute Seasonings being sold on the shelves at Wegmans have developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, or are in rehabilitation due to PTSD, TBI and or other combat-related challenges,” Sewnauth said.

Unistel is the primary spice and seasoning supplier to all five branches of the U.S. military, both domestically and globally, with more than 52 items on the Federal Mandatory Procurement list. Unistel provides jobs to more than 300 people with disabilities, including veterans; provides pre-vocational employment and workforce development; and assists individuals with job placement in the community.

The seven flavors available at Wegmans Nov. 1 are Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, Cinnamon Maple, Pumpkin Pie Spice and Poultry Seasoning. For more than 20 years, Salute Seasonings have been on the tables for all five branches of the military.

“We’re proud to offer these products locally and honored to give back to our veterans and invest in the community,” Sewnauth said. “Since its inception in 2010, the Warrior Salute program has served 71 veterans. This year, we had an 80 percent graduation rate, of which the clinical outcomes results include a 95 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms, 90 percent reduction in anxiety and 95 percent decrease in anger. Overall, we have seen major improvements in self-esteem, motivation and insight as reported by 100 percent of veterans in our program.”

Visit any area Wegmans to purchase Salute Seasonings. For more information, go to www.saluteseasonings.com.

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