Ahold Delhaize Launches ‘Magical Vegetables’ Campaign in Belgium

Ahold Delhaize recently launched a new creative marketing campaign in Belgium to encourage children to eat healthier.

Called “Magical Vegetables,” the program will change the names and packaging for 12 types of vegetables to more kid-friendly names and designs to inspire young people to try them. For instance, carrots will go by the name of “orange rockets,” while peppers will become “treasure boxes” and tomatoes will be named “clown noses” throughout the campaign.

"Vegetables of course contribute to a balanced diet and are the tastemakers of numerous dishes," said Tim Lammens, VP of talent, organization, internal communication and sustainability, in a statement. "By presenting vegetables in a fun and creative way, Delhaize wants to encourage children to discover less popular tastes easier and faster." 

The retailer consulted with several schools for the new campaign, where children drew inspiration from stories and fairy tales to come up with their own creative veggie names.

The “Magical Vegetables” campaign aims to increase the amount of vegetables children and young people eat. Just 5% of Belgians currently eat the daily recommended amount of 550 grams of fruit and vegetables per day, according to a company statement, with children and young people scoring the lowest.

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"This is an alarming conclusion,” Lammens said. “Parents sometimes have to pull out all the stops to let their children eat enough vegetables. With a little magic and imagination, Delhaize wants to help parents make their kids happy for vegetables."

While the retailer did not announce plans to expand the campaign beyond Belgium, the program would be a fit in other markets such as the U.S., where fruit and vegetable intake among children remains low, according to the most recent data from the CDC.