Steve Harrison, MD, Redbridge Fresh Services
Most of us do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, although we know that it is good for us and is an easy way to boost health and well-being. One reason we eat less fruit than we should is the greater availability of unhealthy snacks, whereas fruit, because it degrades quickly, is difficult for smaller retail outlets to stock. This is why at Redbridge we support the DoH’s initiative to encourage the nation to eat more fruit and vegetables and, using our expertise and coverage of the marketplace, we are the best placed to get behind the 5 A DAY message.
We have developed and launched our own 5 A DAY brand, which uses specially designed packaging that extends the shelf-life of fresh produce, making it easier for convenience store retailers to offer a complete range of fresh produce. The new packaging, which also carries the Department of Health’s 5 A DAY logo, means that the produce has a shelf-life of at least seven days, which offers better availability and quality and less wastage for the retailer. Fruit and other fresh produce can now be more easily sold from corner shops, garage forecourts and train stations.
Encouraging children to eat more healthily is a growing concern and was highlighted in Jamie’s School Dinners, which has increased pressure on the government to do more to get school children eating healthy foods. At Redbrige we are long-standing supporters of the DoH’s 5 A DAY programme and are one of the main distributors for the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, supplying to 4,000 primary schools across the UK.
But the government’s fruit for schools scheme stops at age seven - what happens to children after that? Is it fair that they should suddenly stop enjoying the benefits that eating fresh fruit every day can bring? This is why at Redbridge we have taken the next step and launched our own scheme called 7+, which gives all school children the chance to eat fresh fruit every day. By working closely with schools and parents, we offer a service where parents can pay for their child to receive fresh fruit on a daily basis.
Getting people to eat more fruit and vegetables makes good commercial sense for Redbridge and the produce industry, but it also makes great sense for all of us. We are committed to getting the message out to consumers as much as possible.
