In the spirit of the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, a major state business association has launched its own competition promoting some notable Pennsylvania products. And, among its competitors are a couple Lehigh Valley standouts.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry announced the “Coolest Thing Made in PA” tournament on Monday.
According to a release, the competition celebrates the state’s history and “continued leadership in manufacturing.”
Thirty-two companies will face off in a single-elimination bracket format. Public voting through the PA Chamber’s Twitter page will determine the winners.
Two companies in the competition are representing the Lehigh Valley. The renowned guitar manufacturer C.F. Martin & Co, from the Nazareth area, faces off against Rutter’s Iced Tea.
Additionally, Easton-area’s Crayola Crayons is matched up against Seltzer’s Lebanon Bologna.
However Mack Trucks, which has a notable manufacturing presence in the Lehigh Valley, and Just Born Quality Confections, the Bethlehem-based maker of Peeps, were not included.
Notable participants in the 2023 competition from across the state include Harley Davidson Motorcycles, Yuengling Lager, Sheetz MTO, UTZ Potato Chips, Zippo Lighters, Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Primanti Brothers Sandwiches, and the Duolingo Language Learning App, among others.
The first round of voting ends on March 17. The second round runs from March 21-24, while the third round will take place on March 28-29. This will immediately be followed by the fourth round on March 30-31.
The championship round of voting will be held on April 3.
(Original air-date: 3/15/23)