Earlier this month a group of industry leaders joined former world champion athlete Roger Black to discuss what opportunity, if any, there is for the fresh produce industry to leap on the post-Olympics feelgood bandwagon (see pages 20-24).
Inevitably the word ‘legacy’ came up, and the consensus seemed to be that the best chance for the trade to piggyback on the sporting legacy of London 2012 was to offer the complementary message that exercise and healthy eating go hand in hand.
There is clearly a limited window of opportunity for the industry to work together with Olympic medallists, and while the cost of hiring the likes of Jessica Ennis and Sir Chris Hoy is now prohibitive for most people, the Seasonal Berries campaign has shown imagination by recruiting Mo Farah’s nutritionist, thus making the sporting connection without the expense that goes with hiring the celebrity themselves.
It was also universally agreed that getting Olympians and Paralympians to visit schools to talk about diet could have a hugely positive impact. Athletes are role models, and can have much more of an effect on kids’ habits than any PR campaign.
The time is now for the industry to start thinking about how to tap into this unique opportunity.
No comments yet