A three-year EU- and industry-funded campaign implemented by Bord Bia has been launched, in a bid to encourage millennials to increase their fruit and veg intake.
Details
The ‘Life is Better with Fruit and Vegetables’ campaign aims to promote the dietary benefits and sustainability of fresh, locally grown in-season produce to millennials, who are seen as a key influencing group in society.
The campaign’s objective is to educate 25- to 34-year-old millennials across Ireland, encouraging them to prepare healthy meals and live a healthier lifestyle, using sustainably sourced, locally grown in-season produce.
Research carried out as part of the ‘Life is Better’ campaign in Europe uncovered that 56% of Irish millennials said that they eat fresh fruit and vegetables because of the health benefits associated with fresh local produce. Currently, the average number of actual portions of fruit and vegetables consumed by millennials in Ireland is 3.2, whereas the government recommends up to seven per day.
Research from the Bord Bia Fresh Produce Report for 2020 found that 69% of 16-34 ‘home cooks’ get inspiration for the meals that they cook from social media. Fun, educational and feel-good information and recipe inspiration will be available on the FruitnVeg.ie website and shared via Instagram and Facebook.
‘Life is Better with Fruit and Vegetables’ was launched in Dublin restaurant Bites by Kwanghi, which is owned by campaign ambassador Kwanghi Chan. The Asian restaurateur and TV personality joins chef Eoin Sheehan, Instagram influencers Rachel Hornibrook and foodie duo the GastroGays as campaign ambassadors, who will partner with Bord Bia over the next three years to create recipes to inspire millennials.
One particular input that Chan will bring to the campaign will be to show millennials all of the ways to bring fruit and vegetables into Asian-inspired food.
A series of events will partner with Bord Bia on this campaign, kick-starting with the Body & Soul festival, from 17 to 19 June 2022.
The campaign runs from now until February 2025, and it is implemented by Bord Bia in Ireland, Interfel and AIB in France, and Freshfel Europe.
Statement By Sector Manager For Fresh Produce In Bord Bia
The sector manager for fresh produce in Bord Bia, Lorcan Bourke, stated, “We are incredibly excited to launch the ‘Life is Better’ campaign to help to educate our 25- to 34-year-olds to cook with our locally grown seasonal produce. We understand a stumbling block to enjoying fruit and vegetables is cooking knowledge, particularly for time-limited young professionals and parents. Taken together with engrained consumption habits, we really feel we can deliver delicious food and improve the health of the nation. Previous EU-funded campaigns focusing on potatoes and mushrooms have been well received with the public, and we are now again keen to showcase the full range of fruit and vegetables that are professionally grown […] across the country.”
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