Skipping might not seem like it has a great deal to do with the world of soft fruit, but one soft-fruit company is doing its best to change all that with an innovative marketing scheme.
Berryworld and Poupart have teamed up with a former boxer to introduce the twin joys of skipping and eating berries to schoolchildren across the county of Kent.
Former boxer turned trainer, John McCormack, is the mastermind behind the scheme and has established a company called Skip 2B Fit.
The concept behind the scheme sees McCormack using his 20 years of boxing training to teach the joys of skipping to children throughout Kent’s schools.
At the same time as giving a demonstration of his dazzling skipping skills, McCormack also talks about the importance of a balanced healthy diet, with the benefits of fresh fruit and veg being particularly highlighted.
Berryworld and Poupart heard about the scheme and decided it would be an excellent way to introduce young children to the delights of soft fruit.
The two companies stepped up to sponsor McCormack’s business and provide both financing to help him spread the word, and free fruit to allow the children to sample products like blueberries. A fact filled fun product information sheet is also distributed to the participating schools.
Lisa Knight, marketing manager with Berryworld, says it has provided around £20,000 worth of sponsorship for the scheme so far, with other support coming from either the local councils or the schools themselves.
She says: “The aim of the scheme is to encourage children to eat fresh fruit, and give them the opportunity to try blueberries, which they may not have tried before.
“We’re also looking to educate them about the importance of eating fruit as part of a healthy diet and also promoting fruit as a lunchbox and snacking item,” she adds.
McCormack says he estimates he will see more than 40,000 school children during 2005 and has plans to extend the scheme around the UK through the launch of franchises. “I’m hoping to get franchises rolling out from October, and I’m keen to get further sponsorship, ideally from one of the big retailers.”
He says the scheme has proved to be a smash hit with both the children and their teachers and he regularly receives letters of thanks from teachers, children and school governers.
Berryworld and Poupart’s involvement in the scheme happened completely by chance, says Knight.
“Our sponsorship of the scheme resulted from a chance meeting between John and Tim Newton, Berryworld’s technical director. They were sitting next to each other on a train, back in June last year, and got chatting.”
The idea fired the imagination at Berryworld with the company seeing the opportunity to spread the word to thousands of school children.
“We discussed the ways in which Berryworld could get involved,” says Knight, “and decided that by supplying free fruit for all the children taking part, and giving out specially designed information leaflets we could incorporate healthy eating messages along with the Skip2Bfit emphasis on the benefits of regular exercise. The two work perfectly together. This was way before Jamie Oliver captured everyone’s attention.”
She says the scheme, is rapidly developing and McCormack is now working with one head teacher to develop a six-week lesson plan, focusing on healthy living. McCormack adds: “Teachers haven’t got much time, but all they have to do is go to the website and download the plan, it’s very simple.”
Blueberries might not be the most common of soft fruit, but Knight says they are the best choice. “We thought carefully about which fruit would be best suited, and decided that blueberries would be ideal, as they require no preparation and are easy for small children to eat.”
McCormack admits he was sceptical at first: “I was working with apples initially and wasn’t sure about the blueberries, but they’ve been very successful.
“It amazed me that 80 per cent of kids have never tasted blueberries before, some have never heard of them, but I’ve now seen 10s of thousands of children and I’ve been surprised how well it’s taken off with the blueberries. There’s no peel, there’s no mess and there’s no waste.
“I tell them to keep the cartons and put them in their lunchbox so they can fill them with fruit and reuse them.”
The packs have been specially chosen says Knight: “To allow each child to have an individual pack of berries, we chose a small clear box, which we had pre-printed with the Berryworld logo and a blueberry character we designed.”
The designs and packaging were all tested on youngsters before the company went ahead, she adds.
The whole scheme has been a win for everyone involved: “We are delighted that so many of the children really love blueberries, and are encouraged by letters from parents saying that their children are now skipping every day, and requesting fresh fruit at home and in their lunchboxes.
“Supporting Skip2Bfit gives us a fantastic opportunity to communicate to the consumers of tomorrow. John is key to the success of the programme, and the way he is able to engage the children,” Knight says.
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