Fit Foodies Walking Challenge - From Pallet to Plate

The business focus for the first week was the Landing Drive Distribution Centre in Auckland. Participants were given a virtual buggy tour around the largest centre of its kind in New Zealand, with enough space for 85,000 pallets. Along the way, team members explained the work they do, the vast size of the distribution centre, and its logistics and operations.

The wellbeing focus for week 1 was the benefits and importance of staying hydrated. For some extra learnings, we also linked this to which food items are high in water content. What do you think contains the highest water content between cucumber, watermelon, or strawberries? (They are all high in water content, but hint – it’s green, long, and skinny!)

To round up the week, a spot prize was up for grabs for teams entering a photo of themselves getting walk ready.

In week 2, the business focus was the transport hub in Wellington. Fit Foodies learnt about the logistics and met some of the people who are making it happen. The importance of good rest and good sleep for truck drivers was highlighted, as were the systems and safety measures Foodstuffs have in delivery truck cabs to ensure drivers avoid any signs of fatigue. Truck drivers can be contacted for a helpful check-in by support centre staff and are all provided with annual medical assessments.

The wellbeing focus during this week was the value of good sleep. Practical tips were given on how to avoid bad sleep, and ways to decrease stress and gain a sense of rest.

To finish the week, a spot prize was available for entering a team theme tune on the wellbeing platform, and a Fit Foodies Pallet to Plate playlist was created and made available across the company.

For week 3, the business focus was on the stores. Participants met with behind-the-scenes store teams who explained how their area of the business operates, from truck delivery to forklift truck operation, from storage to store, and how safety is ensured in each step of the process.

The wellbeing focus for the third week was asking the question ‘what does wellbeing mean to you’. Foodies met team members from multiple business units around the country, each explaining the meaning of wellbeing to them, and what motivates them to engage in their own wellbeing, such as family, social connections, nature, hobbies, and pastimes. Participants were encouraged during daily walks to stop and see the sights and smell the roses.

Spot prizes were up for grabs this week for a photo taken while on a walk, and what it meant in terms of wellbeing.

The business focus for the final week was ‘Social Supermarkets’. This Foodstuffs initiative is a way of making sure everybody in the community has access to healthy foods and daily necessities. Challenge participants virtually met a social supermarket store manager, and learned more on how these stores operate and give back to the community.

The wellbeing focus during week 4 was a recap on the value of walking to increase heart health, plus congratulations on the all the physical activity achieved during the challenge. Tips were given on how to find creative ways of increasing physical activity and how to fit more into the day – such as breaking a 30-minute walk into smaller chunks, getting off the bus one stop earlier, parking further away from walk, or walking to talk to a colleague rather than sending an email.

The final challenge of ‘Fit Foodies’ was for participants to keep going with healthy habits in the weeks beyond.

B-b-b-bonus rounds included spot prizes from participating in the weekly bonus activities, taking part in fun quizzes, and uploading photos from their daily stepping.