School Food Matters is a UK charity dedicated to improving school dinners and educating children on where food comes from. The charity collaborated again with health stores, Whole Foods Market for the third annual Schools to Market campaign this year. Having taken place throughout the summer, the project saw children across the country visit farms to experience first hand where their food comes from. There was an exciting programme of events and activities throughout the season including master class cooking demonstrations, store tours and marketing workshops for pupils. The project culminates on 23rd September, when the children will sell the products they have made during the summer at their local Whole Foods Market store.
Nine Whole Foods Market stores have been involved in the project including seven branches across London (Clapham Junction, Fulham Broadway, Piccadilly Circus, High St Kensington, Camden, Stoke Newington, Richmond), Cheltenham and Giffnock in Scotland. Each store has worked with one secondary and three primary schools locally, taking children on a journey from 'seed to supermarket'.
The campaign began in early June when Whole Foods Market chefs visited the schools to give master-classes to school children on the types of ingredients they should look for ahead of their farm visits. Following this was a series of work shops and store tours at Whole Foods Market during July. Pupils have grown and cooked the ingredients for a selection of jams and chutneys that will be available to buy on Market Day.
Benjamin Woodgate, Whole Foods Market Marketing Director/Whole Kids Foundation UK Director said:
“We wanted to go beyond the ubiquitous farm to fork journey and so in partnership with the team at School Food Matters we were able to devise a hands on learning experience from seed to supermarket shelf. We have inspired hundreds of local children and taught them how to get growing, cooking, tasting, marketing, merchandising and selling. This programme is assisting children in developing life skills around entrepreneurialism and employability whilst leaving plenty of opportunity to link it back to the curriculum. Put simply we are helping grow healthy kids.”
Stephanie Wood, Founder/Director of School Food Matters said:
“We're delighted to be partnering with Whole Foods Market on this wonderful programme. Schools to Market brings together children from local schools to experience the joy of growing, harvesting and cook-ing with delicious fruit and veg. By selling their homemade produce at Whole Foods Market they develop enterprise skills and raise funds for their school's food education projects.”
