Tesco and Ella’s Kitchen partner to give away free veg in bid to encourage more little ones to eat their 5 a day

Tesco has partnered with leading baby and kids’ food brand Ella’s Kitchen to launch a new initiative aimed at encouraging children to eat more vegetables.

Studies show that the earlier a child is exposed to vegetables, the more likely they are to eat them - reinforcing the need to introduce little ones to fruit and vegetables in the early years.[1]

And with the alarming statistic that only 18% of children aged 5-15 consume the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, which can have long term health consequences[2], this partnership aims to address the issue and get youngsters enjoying vegetables as early as possible.

As part of this exciting new initiative, Tesco and Ella’s Kitchen are offering:

• In-Store Promotions: In 50 selected Tesco stores across England and Wales, customers who buy any Ella’s Kitchen product from a choice of over 60 lines will receive a coupon for a free selected vegetable. A roadshow will also visit certain stores, where in an interactive front of store space, Ella’s Kitchen will be handing out free veg coupons, recipes, educational content to customers.

• Online Offer: Shoppers who purchase any Ella’s Kitchen Smoothie Multipack online can add a selected vegetable to their basket for just 1p.

• Educational Resources: Free educational content for parents and carers, featuring insights, recipes, and fun activities to promote sensory food play and healthy eating.

Ella’s Kitchen is deeply committed to championing healthy eating for under-fives. The partnership aims to encourage children to engage in sensory food play, and ultimately eat more vegetables. Sensory food play is proven to help little ones develop positive relationships with healthy food through fun and interactive experiences that increase curiosity about, and enjoyment of, fruit and veg.

This partnership also reflects the health goals of Tesco, including their ‘Better Baskets’ campaign, which aims to make it easier for customers to make healthier choices every time they shop.

1. "Learning to Eat Vegetables in Early Life: The Role of Timing, Ae and Individual Eating Traits", by Carton et al

2. NHS Digital. (2019). Health Survey for England, 2018: Children's health. NHS Digital. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-forengland/208/health-survey-for-england-2018-data-tables

Notes to Editors

• The in-store partnership and roadshow will run from 24^th July – 25^th August.
• Online activation will run from 24^th July – 3^rd September.
• Vegetables redeemable are:
  • Tesco broccoli single
  • Tesco cauliflower single
  • Tesco swede single
  • Tesco butternut squash single
  • Tesco courgettes (3 pack)
• 1p online price for piece of veg is due to system specifications of Tesco’s website and app. Veg will be totally free in stores.
• In store, coupon can be redeemed with any Ella’s Kitchen product. Online, there are 10 products (all their smoothie multipacks) which a vegetable can be redeemed against.

Voucher only: Stores with free veg with any Ella’s Kitchen product (to be found in aisle):

Voucher and Roadshow: Stores on Roadshow (front of store van):

Sandhurst Extra GU47 0FD

Slough Wellington Extra SL1 1XW

Sunbury-On-Thames Extra TW16 7bb

New Malden Extra KT3 4PJ

Osterley Extra in Isleworth TW7 5NZ

Romford Extra RM11 1PY

Basildon Pitsea Extra SS13 3JU

Colchester Hythe Superstore CO1 2TE

Colchester Extra CO4 9ED

Ipswich Martlesham Extra IP5 3RU

Blackpool Clifton Extra FY4 4UJ

Bolton Horwich Extra BL6 6JS

Walkden Extra in Salford M28 3BT

Oldham Huddersfield Road Extra OL1 3LG

Longton Extra in Stoke-On-Trent ST3 2JB

Leicester Extra LE4 1DE

Northampton Weston Favell Extra NN3 8JZ

Milton Keynes Kingston Extra MK10 0AH

Banbury Extra OX16 1LX

Aylesbury Extra HP19 8BU

Salisbury Extra SP1 2NY

Bournemouth Extra BH7 7DY

Southampton Extra SO31 8GN

Havant Extra PO9 1TR

Chichester Extra PO19 3JT

Ella’s Kitchen

Ella’s Kitchen, part of the Hain Celestial Group, is the UK’s leading baby and kids’ food manufacturer. Its mission is to help little ones grow up happy, healthy, and never hungry. The company prioritises health and nutritional value, but never at the expense of taste or convenience. Ella’s Kitchen strives to be good in every sense, offering healthy, handy, and fun food that doesn’t cost the earth.

In 2016, Ella’s Kitchen certified as a B Corporation, a global movement of pioneering companies that are using their business as a force for good. By certifying as a B Corp, it reinforces that the business is meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Hain Celestial

Hain Celestial Group is a leading health and wellness company whose purpose is to inspire healthier living for people, communities and the planet through better-for-you brands. For more than 30 years, Hain has intentionally focused on delivering nutrition and well-being that positively impacts today and tomorrow. Headquartered in Hoboken, N.J., Hain Celestial's products across snacks, baby/kids, beverages, meal preparation, and personal care, are marketed and sold in over 75 countries around the world. Our leading brands include Garden Veggie Snacks™, Terra® chips, Garden of Eatin'® snacks, Earth's Best® and Ella's Kitchen® baby and kids foods, Celestial Seasonings® teas, Joya® and Natumi® plant-based beverages, Greek Gods® yogurt, Cully & Sully®, Imagine® and New Covent Garden® soups, Yves® and Linda McCartney's® (under license) meat-free, and Alba Botanica® personal care, among others. For more information, visit hain.com and LinkedIn.