ECEC services say ‘yes please’ to free fruit through new Woolworths initiative

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services have been invited by grocery store Woolworths to enter a competition which will see 100 primary schools and early learning centres across the country receive free fruit for each student for one day as the store celebrates a milestone in its popular Free Fruit For Kids program.

Since the Free Fruit For Kids program began in 2015 more than 100 million pieces of fruit have been given to Australian children, with Woolworths the first major store to introduce such a program on a national level. 

As well as being a gesture of goodwill toward shoppers, the program aims to instill healthy lifestyle habits, and reverse the statistics which show that 41 per cent of children aged between four and eight years are not receiving their daily recommended intake of fruit.

Offering apples, bananas, and pears and mandarins when in season, Woolworths estimates more than 14,000 tonnes of free fruit have been eaten by children since the program launched – the equivalent to filling more than six Olympic sized swimming pools.

“We want to say thank you to our customers, especially parents, for embracing the initiative, but also our store teams and farmers for making sure those Free Fruit for Kids baskets are full of great Australian produce for kids to enjoy,” Woolworths General Manager of Fruit and Vegetables, Paul Turner said.

Applications to receive free fruit for a day are open. To find out more about Woolworths Free Fruit for Kids schools initiative and to apply, visit woolworths.com.au/fruitforschools.