BORD BIA / 04 CELEBRATING THE UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!
LET’S GROW Over the course of the pandemic, and especially during lockdown, many new consumers have developed an interest in gardening. However, recent research shows that many of these consumers find it hard to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to begin their journey. Simple gardening advice is always in demand and insights from the GroMór website show that the AUTHOR AND BROADCASTER FIANN monthly to-do list has been their most valued resource, Ó NUALLÁIN AT THE especially for new gardeners. Some other topics of BOTANIC GARDENS. interest on the site included: how to get kids involved in gardening, gardening for the environment/biodiversity/bees, and the physical and mental benefits of gardening. Additionally, many younger consumers came into the category in the previous two years through an interest in growing their own fruit and vegetables. As many within this cohort are renting, they respond positively to container gardening and simple tips on growing fruit and veg on a balcony or outdoor space. The GroMór programme is now being streamlined into the Let’s Grow campaign, with key content from the initiative being migrated to BordBia.ie. Features on the BordBia.ie gardening hub include monthly gardening advice and to-do lists, a map showcasing garden centres and nurseries nationwide, and plant guides highlighting Irish grown ornamental plants from Irish Nurseries, in addition to inspirational and educational content. Activity is pitched at new or beginner gardeners who are not confident about gardening or growing their own food. In preparation for the autumn burst of activity, video footage of Fiann Ó Nualláin was captured at the Botanic gardens, creating a range of seasonal containers, including a window box herb garden. The focus was on Irish grown plants, and how seasonal bedding can really lift a container. In addition to this, several of the advice guides were animated to make them suitable for Facebook and Instagram. There was an intensive digital promotional burst for the material in the middle of October, on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Full results are still awaited, but it is estimated that the ads for the videos will have been displayed 800,000 times, with 80,000 video views. Plans are in place to launch the Let’s Grow campaign in March of 2022 with a range of spring gardening tips. The campaign will engage with consumers through videos, animations, infographics and inspiring images. It will feature well known and up and coming gardeners, across both plants and fruit and vegetables, with regular, engaging content. ✽
EU FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CAMPAIGN 2022-24 The Horticulture department has been granted funds by the EU for a multi-country Fruit & Veg millennial campaign and promotional programme. The €5.4m Fruit & Veg MultiPromotion, in partnership with Interfel and AIB (banana promotions) – both from France and Brussels based European Fresh Produce Association, Freshfel – will deliver a €1.5m investment in promotional funds for the Irish Fruit & Veg sector over the next three years. ✽
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To mark the UN International Year of Fruit and Vegetables 2021, Bord Bia are encouraging people to add one more fresh fruit or vegetable to any meal. This coincides with Bord Bia’s annual ‘Best in Season’ campaign, which highlights the convenience, taste, texture, vibrancy and colour of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables. In an effort to provide simple tips on how to eat more fresh produce, they have partnered with dietitian Orla Walsh. “If everyone in Ireland were to ‘add one more’ locally grown fruit or vegetable into their daily diet, they would become healthier,” says Orla. “However, another motivation to eat more in season, local produce is that it is often the more sustainable choice, and taking on the ‘add one more’ challenge can also help to avoid food waste. Leftover vegetables in your fridge or from dinner are delicious in your morning omelette and ideal for use in pasta sauces and stir fries.” Lorcan Bourke, Sector Manager for Fresh Produce and Potatoes, Bord Bia said, “For the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables, it’s very heartening to see that the latest market data shows Irish consumers are continuing to purchase more fresh produce, with the record sales achieved during the pandemic being sustained into 2021.” New market data in July, showed an increase in the purchase of fresh produce in Ireland, with the total retail market valued at €1.78bn. Consumers increased their average annual spend on fresh vegetables by 7.5% from the previous year. The total retail market for fresh vegetables, which makes up 37% of all fresh produce sales, is now valued at approximately €659.7m annually, an increase of 8.6% over 2020. ✽
EU POTATO CAMPAIGN – ‘POTATOES PREPARED TO BE SURPRISED’ Bord Bia’s three-year EU funded millennial campaign, ‘Potatoes Prepared to be Surprised’, was awarded a bronze Effie award in the category of Public Service, Government & Utilities. ✽
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Autumn/Winter 2021
