KickStart Breakfast Programme

KickStart Breakfast is a joint initiative between Sanitarium, Fonterra, and the Ministry of Social Development.

The programme is designed to positively impact child well-being through providing access to nutritious food at school. It's helping give our tamariki a boost to both their school day and their future by ensuring they have a healthy start along with a full puku to keep them alert in the classroom.

KickStart Breakfast is the only national breakfast programme of its kind, and has been delivering Sanitarium Weet-Bix™ and Anchor™ Milk to New Zealand schools since term 1 2009. The programme is run in more than 1,400 schools nationwide, and serving over 19,000 breakfasts each school week.

Why Does it Exist?

KickStart Breakfast exists to make sure Kiwi kids can get a great start to their school day with a healthy nutritious breakfast. 

The 2024 Akina Impact Report say KickStart Breakfast clubs:

• Enhances physical wellbeing for tamariki and rangatahi
• Fuels opportunities to achieve greater educational outcomes
• Strengthens connections, and builds belonging
• Has a societal benefit

How Long has it Been Going?

In total the programme has served more than 70 million breakfasts since its inception.

In 2009, Sanitarium and Fonterra partnered to provide free Sanitarium Weet-Bix™ and Anchor™ milk twice a week to decile 1-4 schools.

The Ministry of Social Development came on board in 2013, extending KickStart Breakfast to five days a week and opening up the programme to all schools in New Zealand across all deciles including New Zealand, across all deciles including primary, intermediate and secondary as well as Teen Parenting, Special Schools and Alternative Education Providers.

How Does it Work?

Sanitarium and Fonterra provide the product and MSD support the programme through funding. Then it's up to the school community to provide provisions including bowls, spoons, a central location, food storage facilities and of course the people to run the breakfast club.

The ‘community partnership’ model is an effective one, as by focusing on the critical aspect of food rather than logistics, KickStart is able to provide a breakfast offering to as many schools who choose to take part.

For more information please visit https://www.kickstartbreakfast.co.nz/