Pioneer Foods started the schools breakfast nutrition programme in 2015 to provide disadvantaged school learners with a healthy breakfast comprising of a selection of cereals such as ProNutro, Bokomo Corn Flakes, White Star Instant porridge, as well as catering equipment, long life milk and aprons for the food handlers. This ensures pupils have at least one wholesome meal a day and are able to concentrate on their schoolwork.
“With an estimated 14-million South Africans going to bed hungry every day, food security is one of the most important challenges facing our country,” says Nico Moloto, stakeholder and sustainability manager at Pioneer Foods. “As one of South Africa’s leading food companies, and the biggest player within the breakfast category, it is our responsibility to focus our social investment where it has the biggest impact in alleviating hunger on a sustainable basis.”
“I’m very excited to introduce the programme to KwaZulu-Natal schools,” says Moloto, “We are not only providing breakfast, we are nourishing lives and thereby empowering these children to fully utilise the education they are receiving to secure their own food for the future.”
This project is in keeping with Pioneer Foods’ commitment to shared value. “We adhere to policies that drive our competitiveness, while also enhancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which we operate,” explains Moloto.
Pioneer Foods’ schools breakfast feeding programme complements the Department of Basic Education’s National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) which currently provides lunch to nearly 10-million learners in 21,177 schools annually.
