Promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables has been a key message across the produce industry, and the Calgary Produce Marketing Association has been busy doing just that.

The association’s focus is to increase brand awareness through a robust education initiative in the schools and community. This year, Calgary PMA supported several successful school-based healthy eating programs.

According to Marketing and Communications Coordinator Shelley Fugel, the association consulted local schools to pinpoint areas of need. A lack of support for schools’ healthy eating initiatives, a scarcity of resources and few healthy fundraising options were identified as key concerns.

“By working and developing ideas with teachers and other health initiative programs on how to fulfill the needs of the area schools, the Calgary PMA is starting to become a resource that schools across Alberta are reaching out to,” said Fugel.

The association supported local school programs Drop the Junk, the Fruit and Veggie Challenge, and a Mystery Box Cooking Challenge. The programs were all tailored to local context and offered integrated learning, two elements identified as key to making a difference at last year’s joint Canadian Public Health Association/Canadian Produce Marketing Association Health Summit held in Ottawa.

The Drop the Junk exchange took place at Catherine Nichols Gunn School and involved students exchanging Halloween candy for fruits and vegetables. The Calgary PMA provided a donation of fruit, Freggie tattoos, and a Freggie Mascot.

The Fruit and Veggie Challenge was a student-led school wide challenge to bring a fruit and vegetable in lunches every day for three months. The association donated bookmarks to support the project.

The Mystery Box Cooking Challenge took place in a local junior high school, with produce donated by the Calgary PMA. The program was so successful, the association plans to partner with the Calgary Academy of Chefs and Cooks to source produce for similar programs and to provide workshops for young budding chefs.

The Calgary PMA is also looking at working with ‘NSTEP — a non-profit organization with the goal of educating students, teachers and parents to make healthier lifestyle choices.

“They have direct involvement with the schools and are in the schools on a weekly basis with Snack Attack, showing students various snack ideas with fruits and vegetables. This is where the Calgary PMA could be of assistance with Freggie,” said Fugel.

Currently, the Calgary PMA is in the beginning stages of promoting and running a highly attractive fundraising program. The program was developed to offer schools and organizations an opportunity to fundraise with produce. “With the assistance of our members, we are able to promote fruits and vegetables out in the community through schools, clubs, and teams taking on our initiatives.  Through the fundraising program, we are hopeful that our reach out into the community will only grow,” Fugel noted. 

“The Calgary PMA has had an inspiring amount of interest in our organization, and we continually work towards increasing the consumption of produce in communities across the province.”