Following the success of the project in Spain and Portugal, the BetterWithButternut campaign is now reaching British families.
This initiative to promote butternut squash among consumers takes another step on the international stage. Sakata has joined forces with Veg Power, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to increase vegetable consumption in the UK, and grower Barfoots to launch the Love Butternut brand in the UK.
Under the campaign title #BetterWithButternut, the goal is to bring butternut squash closer to families by sharing information about its versatility in the kitchen, how easy it is to prepare, and the many benefits of eating it.
This partnership was born from the success of Love Klabaza in Spain and Love Butternut in Portugal, both of which contributed to a 20% rise in squash consumption among the general population.
To counter the belief that squash is a difficult vegetable to prepare, the #BetterWithButternut campaign shares easy recipe ideas from chefs Tom Hunt and Tom Walker, founder of the Hackney School of Food. They also demonstrate how butternut squash can be incorporated into traditional British dishes to help encourage families who don’t normally eat it.
The campaign, which aims to reach over one million people via social media, is supported by Veg Power ambassadors including chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Shivi Ramoutar, Tom Aikens (two Michelin stars), and Bettina Campolucci Bordi, as well as registered nutritionists Charlotte Radcliffe RNutr and Zoe Griffiths RNutr, alongside many more ‘friends’ of Veg Power.
Veg Power and Love Butternut are also inviting everyone to take part in the campaign by sharing their own squash recipe ideas using the hashtag #BetterWithButternut.
The campaign is also present in supermarkets, with Sainsbury’s supporting the initiative by placing promotional stickers on butternut squashes grown by Barfoots.
Dan Parker, Chief Executive of Veg Power, said:
“At Veg Power, our mission is to get the UK eating more vegetables to improve the nation’s health. The #BetterWithButternut campaign shows families just how versatile and easy to cook butternut squash can be, encouraging everyone to give it a try and add it to their weekly shop.”
Stuart Cox, Managing Director of Sakata UK, agreed that #BetterWithButternut is
“a fantastic initiative to promote the versatility and great flavour of butternut squash. Sakata is very proud to be partnering with Veg Power and Barfoots on this campaign, and we’re confident that consumers will enjoy discovering squash through the recipes and dishes shared by the Veg Power ambassadors.”
Kim Barfoot-Brace, Brand and Marketing Director at Barfoots, added:
“We are incredibly proud to support Veg Power in its mission to inspire children to eat more vegetables. Butternut squash is delicious, nutritious, versatile, and has the added bonus of a long shelf life without the need for packaging. As we believe butternut squash is a truly wonderful vegetable, we’re excited to see more families discover its magic.”
More information about the campaign:
https://simplyveg.org.uk/butternut-squash-lp/