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Food & Beverage

Coca-Cola Calls on Aussies to Donate 10,000 Christmas Meals to The Salvation Army

2024-12-04

During this festive season, Coca-Cola Australia is launching an inspiring initiative that invites Aussies to send notes of kindness to Melbourne's biggest billboard. This not only spreads holiday cheer but also makes a significant impact by providing meals to those in need during Christmas.

"Spreading Kindness, One Note at a Time"

How the Campaign Works

From 9th to 15th December, Coca-Cola will be transforming Melbourne's Emporium Billboard with personal notes of kindness. Each note adds $10 to the $50,000 donation already pledged to The Salvation Army's Christmas appeal. This partnership between Coca-Cola and The Salvation Army has been ongoing since 2017, providing meals and services to struggling Aussie families and community members during the holiday season.

The power of these small acts of kindness is truly remarkable. Thousands of messages from across the nation are coming together to help Coca-Cola reach its goal of $100,000 or 10,000 meals. It shows that even the simplest gestures can have a huge impact on people's lives.

The Impact of the Campaign

Recent research from The Salvation Army reveals that almost half of Aussies (48 per cent) are buying fewer presents for their kids this year, and 11.9 million Australians (56 per cent) are spending less on food. This Christmas, The Salvation Army is expecting an increase in people seeking and relying on help due to the cost-of-living pressure and financial uncertainty.

However, with Coca-Cola's support, they are able to provide much-needed meals and support to those in need. As Major Gary Masters, the national communications manager at The Salvation Army, said, "Christmas is the busiest time of the year for The Salvos, and we're preparing to see more people than ever before reaching out to us for help. Whether it's people on the brink of homelessness, fighting to pay bills, or just feeling lonely, we want to give them the Christmas they deserve."

Additional Support to Communities

As part of Coca-Cola's 2024 partnership with The Salvation Army, an additional $25,000 will be given to five communities in need. The Richmond Corps, The Well in Victoria, Lismore Corps, Liverpool Corps, and Brisbane Street level Mission in Queensland will all receive a special Community Christmas Dinner after facing challenging times due to homelessness, flooding, and the cost-of-living crisis.

Marketing director at Coca-Cola Australia, Kate Miller, expressed pride in the partnership, saying, "Coca-Cola and meals has always been a perfect partnership. We're so proud to once again be working with The Salvos to bring this to life in such a meaningful way."

Major Masters also emphasized the importance of coming together during Christmas, stating, "This Christmas initiative is about coming together in a supportive and friendly environment and feeling the magic of Christmas. A delicious and hearty meal is so much better when shared with others."

In Australia, hundreds of thousands of people embarked on a captivating journey with Farm to Fork with Manu. This digital mini-series campaign by Ingham's offered a unique peek behind the scenes of the country's poultry farming and processing industry. Manu joined forces with Ingham's, the largest integrated poultry producer in Australia and New Zealand, to develop a remarkable 5-month campaign from July to November 2024. It encompassed a wide range of elements including videos, social media content, digital advertising, rich website content, recipes and recipe e-books, competitions, e-newsletters, blogs, and articles.

Key Success Metrics Revealed

The campaign achieved remarkable results. Paid Clicks saw an impressive increase of 103.74 per cent, total organic reach soared by 363.64 per cent, and organic engagement witnessed a significant boost of 96.68 per cent. Farm to Fork with Manu exceeded its campaign objectives by effectively communicating important messages, significantly growing Ingham's social followers, generating millions of impressions, enhancing audience engagement and interactions, and driving thousands of people to download the campaign recipe e-books and subscribe to Ingham's e-newsletter.

The Origin of Our Chicken Dinner

At the heart of Farm to Fork with Manu was the origin of Ingham's quality products - Australian-raised chicken, farmed sustainably with a focus on animal welfare. Who better to share this story than a poultry farmer and veterinarian? Manu met Farmer Grant and Ingham's vet, Andrew Walsh, and toured one of Ingham's poultry farms in southeast Queensland. Manu also prepared delicious chicken dishes using Ingham's quality chicken products, which are stocked nationwide in supermarkets and fuel the nation's food-service industry. BBQ smoker Peri Peri Chicken, Coq au Vin, and Sri Lankan Australian Meena and Manu's Sri Lankan Chicken Curry are just a few of the featured recipes.

Innovation in Poultry Farming and Agriculture

Manu discovered the various ways Ingham's is at the forefront of innovation in poultry farming and agriculture. With green-star facilities, solar power, reduced water usage, and decreased waste to landfill, Ingham's is leading the way in sustainable agricultural practices. Meeting the diverse and strong teams who work together to grow and process locally farmed, fresh, quality chicken is crucial in feeding Australia.Manu emphasized, "From all the people I've met, the personal journeys I've been told, and the supportive community I've experienced on my Ingham's journey everywhere I've visited, I can see that Ingham's is a great place to work." Ingham's Marketing Manager, Amy Butler, added, "The Farm to Fork journey allowed us to tell a number of micro-stories that show why Ingham's is Always Good. Media channels and audiences were selected to best amplify the campaign and encourage engagement with the brand. And what better way to do this than by partnering with Manu Feildel and his delicious chicken recipes."

New research indicates that a significant majority of consumers believe food and beverage manufacturers should declare if a product is made with AI assistance. This survey by Ingredient Communications and SurveyGoo reveals various viewpoints and concerns regarding the use of AI in the industry.

Unveiling Consumer Sentiments on AI in Food and Beverage

Consumer Demand for Transparency

In a survey conducted among consumers, 83 per cent agreed that companies should declare on a product's label if it has been designed or manufactured with the help of AI technology. This shows the importance consumers place on knowing whether a product has been influenced by AI. More than half, 55 per cent, strongly agreed with this assertion, highlighting the widespread desire for transparency. Only 4 per cent disagreed altogether, indicating a clear trend towards openness.

Regulation and Government Intervention

There was strong support for regulation, with 78 per cent of respondents agreeing that the Government should introduce laws controlling the ways food and drink companies can use AI technology. This shows that consumers expect the government to play a role in ensuring the proper use of AI in the food and beverage sector. Just 6 per cent disagreed with this, suggesting that the majority believes regulation is necessary.

AI and the Perception of 'Natural'

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 per cent) said they believed that food and beverage products made with the help of AI technology should not be described as 'natural'. This indicates that consumers have a specific perception of what constitutes a natural product and are wary of products made with AI. Only 12 per cent disagreed with this, further emphasizing the significance of this issue.

Generational Differences

A distinct generational split was revealed in the survey. A majority of Generation Z and Millennial respondents felt positively about the use of AI in the food industry, with 65 per cent and 57 per cent respectively expressing a positive attitude. However, among Generation X and Boomers, the corresponding figure was markedly lower, at 44 per cent and 25 per cent. This shows that different generations have different attitudes towards AI in food and beverage manufacturing.

Safety Concerns

Just under half of respondents (44 per cent) said they believed that a food or beverage product made with the help of AI might be less safe to consume. This highlights the concern that consumers have about the safety of products made with AI. However, they were split on whether they would be more or less likely to buy such a product. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) said they would be more likely to do so, while 29 per cent stated they would be less likely.

Benefits and Employment

While 79 per cent of respondents agreed that savings made by food and beverage companies through the use of AI should be passed on to shoppers in the form of lower retail prices, sentiment shifted if this came at the expense of employment. 40 per cent considered it unacceptable if the use of AI technology meant somebody lost their job, even if products were cheaper. A third of respondents (33 per cent) considered this an acceptable outcome, showing the complex nature of the issue and the trade-offs consumers are willing to make.