Winnebago Industries and Melanated Campout Announce Strategic Partnership to Promote Diversity in the Outdoors

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Melanated Campout and Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) are pleased to announce a strategic partnership between the two companies. The camping collective created to encourage people of color to embrace the outdoors and the leading North American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products have joined forces to spearhead change in the camping and outdoor communities. Leveraging Winnebago Industries’ expertise on outdoor lifestyle products, and the impressive following Melanated Campout has garnered since its inception in 2018, the partnership will enhance each brand’s opportunity to connect with new audiences.

The co-founders of Melanated Campout set out on a mission to extinguish misconceptions about people of color and their interest in outdoor adventures. Each summer, the organization welcomes hundreds of campers to a designated campground for their annual event. Perfect for both novice campers looking to explore the outdoors, or experienced nature lovers searching for their next adventure, Melanated Campout has rewritten the script on a traditional camping experience. The event itinerary is packed with activities from yoga, to guided fishing, to lip sync battles. The team behind Melanated Campout has mastered creating a schedule that embraces curiosity about camping while building community. In the four years since its inception, the group has hosted more than 1000 campers.

“Partnering with Melanated Campout allows us to support an organization with an incredible history of conceptualizing and executing large-scale events that center on inclusion,” said Jil Littlejohn Bostick, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Winnebago Industries. “We recognized an immediate synergy between our goals for All In, Outdoors, our initiative to drive DEI in the outdoors, and the work their team is doing. After a successful collaboration for this year’s event, we look forward to continuing our partnership and identifying more opportunities to create meaningful change in the outdoors.”

“We are so grateful for Winnebago Industries’ support as we continue to grow the Melanated Campout community. To be recognized by a leading company in the outdoor space marks a significant milestone for our growth as an organization, and we’re excited to build on this partnership to benefit our campers,” said Jocelyn McCants, Melanated Campout co-founder.

For more information on Melanated Campout, please visit https://melanatedcampout.com/. To learn more about Winnebago Industries’ All In, Outdoors initiative, please visit https://www.winnebagoind.com/responsibility/inclusion.

About Melanated Campout
Melanated Campout is a Black and women-owned company that’s inspiring more people of color to camp and enjoy outdoor adventures. Melanated Campout meets campers where they are, offering camping opportunities for all comfort levels ranging from experienced to new campers. The aim is to ensure that every camper has a healthy and enjoyable experience, leaves camp with an appreciation for the wonder and beauty of the natural environment, and feels inspired to encourage their family and friends to connect with nature.

About Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries, Inc. is a leading North American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products under the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth-wheel products, outboard and sterndrive powerboats and commercial community outreach vehicles. Winnebago Industries has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Florida. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and traded under the symbol WGO. For access to Winnebago Industries' investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net. 

Contact
Media: Amber Holm
acholm@winnebagoind.com