The initiative aims to bring together a trusted neighbourhood retailer, a trusted household brand and local communities around a shared goal: helping children access the support, nutrition and opportunities they need to thrive, says the partnership.

This year's National Nutrition Week theme, "Creating Healthy Food Environments for Better Nutrition", aims to recognise that nutrition extends beyond the food on a plate. A child's health, wellbeing and ability to learn are shaped by the environment around them, including their home, school and wider community, ads  the partnership.

Schools can play a particularly important role, often serving as centres of learning, care, nutrition and community support.

Accoring to the partnership, the need for stronger food environments remains significant. Statistics South Africa's General Household Survey 2025 found that 22% of South African households have inadequate or severely inadequate access to food, leaving more than 9.4-million people vulnerable to hunger.

The Human Sciences Research Council's National Food and Nutrition Security Survey further found that 63.5% of households experience some form of food insecurity, while 28.8% of children under five are stunted, indicating long-term undernutrition, says the partnership.

For many children, school provides the most dependable meal of the day. Through the National School Nutrition Programme, more than 9.9-million learners across almost 20 000 schools receive meals daily, with 78.2% of public-school learners benefiting from a school nutrition programme, adds the partnership.

Against this backdrop, the 'Share More Meals' campaign aims to offer consumers a practical opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their own communities.

The campaign is built on a simple belief: healthy food environments are created when communities come together around schools. Through neighbourhood Pick n Pay stores and household brands like Iwisa No.1, local shoppers can play a direct role in supporting children in their own communities, says the partnership.

Through this initiative, consumers purchasing participating Iwisa No.1 products at Pick n Pay stores across five South African provinces can contribute towards supporting local schools that are beneficiaries of 'Feed the Nation', Pick n Pay's non-profit organisation.

The beneficiary schools include Mzingisi Junior Primary School in the Eastern Cape, Moriting Primary School in Gauteng, Sawela Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal, Thorisong Primary School in Mpumalanga and Walter Teka Primary School in the Western Cape.

"National Nutrition Week asks all of us who is responsible for the food environment around a child. At Premier we believe we all are," says Sibongile Mooko, Premier Marketing Executive at Milling and Group Insights.

"Healthy food environments are created when communities come together around their schools. For generations, Iwisa No.1 has provided the nourishment and fill that South African families rely on every day," adds Mooko. "Through 'Share More Meals', we are extending that role beyond the home by helping communities support the schools that play such an important role in children's wellbeing."

"When trusted household brands, retailers and shoppers come together around a shared purpose, we can create meaningful impact where it matters most. This is how we can fill more than bowls together," says Mooko.

Each of the five beneficiary schools has identified specific needs with the aim to help create healthier learning environments. Moriting Primary School in Tembisa, Gauteng, which serves 1 505 learners, requires a larger kitchen, dining area, classroom repairs and support for its vegetable garden, adds the partnership.

Mzingisi Junior Primary School in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, needs classroom and sanitation upgrades, a deep freezer for its nutrition programme and a school food garden.

Sawela Primary School in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, has prioritised classroom and roof repairs, dedicated kitchen facilities, improved sanitation and upgraded sports and play areas.

Thorisong Primary School in eMbalenhle, Mpumalanga, requires building repairs, nutrition programme support, improved sanitation, educational technology and sports facilities, while Walter Teka Primary School in Nyanga, Western Cape, needs classroom upgrades, reliable running water, improved sanitation and digital learning resources.

Together, these needs aim to highlight the importance of providing not only nutritious meals, but also safe, supportive school environments where children can learn, grow and thrive, says the partnership.

"As a retailer serving communities across South Africa, we see first-hand the important role schools play in shaping brighter futures for children," says Anwar Mooideen, Corporate Social Investment Manager of Pick n Pay.

"Healthy food environments are built through everyday actions and shared responsibility. Through trusted neighbourhood Pick n Pay stores and trusted household brands like Iwisa No.1, shoppers can play a direct role in supporting children in their own communities," adds Mooideen.

"Our footprint and the reach of 'Feed the Nation' enable us to bring support to communities that might otherwise be difficult to reach," says Mooideen. "This partnership demonstrates how small actions, repeated every day, can come together to create lasting impact."

The contribution generated through 'Share More Meals' is built by consumers themselves. Contributions accumulate throughout the campaign period, are independently audited and will be publicly announced at the beneficiary school, ensuring transparency and allowing communities to see the impact they have created together, says the partnership.

The campaign forms part of a broader partnership between Premier , Pick n Pay's 'Feed the Nation' initiative and the Pick n Pay School Club, with beneficiary schools identified and supported in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education, adds the partnership.

As Iwisa No.1 celebrates seven decades in South African homes, 'Share More Meals' aims to reflect the brand's enduring belief that nourishment extends beyond the food we eat.

"For more than three generations, families have trusted us to fill their homes and the tummies of their loved ones," adds Mooko. "A bowl of porridge is never just a bowl of porridge. It is concentration in a classroom. It is confidence in a learner. It is the opportunity for a brighter future."

"Through 'Share More Meals', we are turning an everyday purchase into meaningful support for children and the schools that support them. Because when we nourish a child, we strengthen a family, and when we strengthen families, we grow a nation. Let's share more meals," concludes Mooko.

For more information, visit www.pnp.co.za. You can also follow Pick n Pay on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor