CPMA launches #Fresh20 to boost produce consumption

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) has updated its “Half Your Plate” marketing program, which encourages Canadians to add fruits and vegetables to their shopping basket.

#Fresh20 replaces the “What can $10 get you?” campaign introduced in 2015 to reflect both changing consumer interests as well as rising costs, Ron Lemaire, CPMA president told Canadian Grocer.

“The original campaign was about providing clarity to Canadians on how their dollars can be used to eat more fruits and veggies, and we've built the program up now into a new format,” he said.

The #Fresh20 campaign provides suggestions and advice to consumers on how to add an assortment of produce to their meals for $20. The #Fresh20 website goes right down to serving size, how many fruits or vegetables you get, and what that means in terms of servings.

“Let's face it, servings are complicated for Canadians,” said Lemaire. Along with that, it provides tips and suggestions for how consumers can prepare and serve the fruits and vegetables in different ways.

“The goal here is behavioural change,” he said. “So [that] they're building their shopping lists and their menu plan with healthy, flavourful and key nutritional items.”

In part, the new program was driven by changes to consumers' habits arising during the pandemic. “We know Canadians are looking for more opportunities for healthy alternatives and lifestyle change,” he said.

But the new program also takes into account the supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures. “We recognize that food is costing more. That is the unfortunate impact of the supply chain disruptions, and the collateral damage the pandemic has created,” he said. “We can’t ignore inflationary impacts on food. We need to adapt to the market.”

Each week the site focuses on a different city because prices are regionally specific, so $20 in P.E.I gets you different fruits and vegetables than it would in Toronto, or in Vancouver.

For example, for the week of Nov. 25, $20 can get consumers in Montreal three pounds of oranges (along with one cauliflower, one pineapple, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, carrots and apples). The site also includes a number of recipes including one for orange berry smoothie.

CPMA is mainly relying on its own social media channels to help spread the word. The organization has a solid following on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, but does not have an advertising budget to amplify the content.