Planting the seeds for a healthier future

• The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and Costa Group are partnering to promote community health through fresh produce and food education. 

• The initiative supports 30 regional and rural schools over three years, helping children build lifelong healthy habits. 

• With rising rates of Type 2 diabetes, the partnership highlights the importance of preventative health through hands-on food education and access to nutritious food. 

On World Diabetes Day, we are highlighting the partnership between Costa Group and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, united by a shared commitment to improving community health through the growing of fresh produce and pleasurable food education. 

With Type 2 diabetes continuing to impact thousands of Australians, leading to an increasing incidence of chronic disease, the importance of preventative health measures has never been clearer. 

Our partnership brings practical food education into schools and communities, empowering children to grow, harvest, prepare, and share fresh and healthy seasonal produce — building lifelong habits that support better health outcomes. 

Over three years, Costa Group, Australia’s leading grower, packer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables, is supporting 30 regional and rural schools to have access to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation program.   

One of these schools is Nairne Primary, in South Australia, where students turn Asian cabbages they’ve grown into okonomiyaki, sell excess produce to their community, and preserve herbs, chillies, tomatoes, and apples. 

Another school which received a sponsored membership and grant, East Devonport Primary School, in Tasmania, used an abundant silverbeet harvest to feed all their students. 

“Ensuring all Australians have access to fresh healthy produce is critical in the fight against obesity and associated health risks. Through our partnership we can play a key role in helping children and young people, and their families, understand the benefits of a healthy and balanced diet,” says Costa CEO Marc Werner. 

The Kitchen Garden Program is recognised worldwide as a proven, impactful, curriculum-linked framework that delivers learning, wellbeing and sustainability benefits for children and young people and the families and communities that surround them. Over 1,000 early childhood services, primary schools and secondary schools across Australia run the Kitchen Garden Program.   

Unity College students planted a variety of seeds earlier this year, including radishes, spinach and snow peas.

“Our program is centered on pleasurable food education, encouraging children and young people to understand and connect with fresh, delicious food through fun, hands-on learning,” says Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation CEO Rob Rees  

“Our aim is to empower children and young people to develop practical skills, an appreciation of seasonal produce, and a positive, confident and healthy relationship with food — for life.”  

The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and Costa Group have partnered in a values-aligned multi-year agreement that ensures more children and young people from around Australia experience pleasurable food education.