The Green Machine Case Study

Client Profile and Issue

The Green Machine is a commercial supplier of vending machines to schools, offering healthy alternatives to the snack foods commonly found in many vending machines.

With 16% of all 2-15 year olds currently classified as being obese in the UK, and soft drinks and other unhealthy snack products being cited as a significant contributory factor, the Green Machine was keen to promote to key policy makers the value of its products in delivering a healthier diet option for children in schools, and it enlisted the help of the Whitehouse Consultancy to achieve this aims.

Our Strategy

The public health issues surrounding children and young people were used as a platform for the Green Machine to establish itself as both a stakeholder in the debate on children’s nutrition and as part of the solution to the problem, stressing that as well as being lower in extrinsic sugars and unhealthy fats, all Green Machine products are free from any artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives.

By introducing Green Machine representatives to Parliamentarians and senior Government Officials, governors’ and teachers’ representatives and other key interest groups the Green Machine was able quickly to put its key messages to the people best placed to implement change.

Whitehouse ensured that information abut the Green Machine was regularly fed into all relevant Government consultation exercises and kept high upon the public policy agenda through Parliamentary questions, letters to Ministers and high profile Parliamentary events.

Outcome

The Green Machine is now widely recognised in Westminster, Whitehall and beyond as being part of a solution to the problem of poor health amongst school aged children. Through extensive profile raising and engagement with key decision makers the Whitehouse Consultancy has been able to help the Green Machine achieve references in key Government documents citing it as a healthier alternative to competitors’ products; and has helped the Green Machine establish a highly important relationship with school governors and the teaching profession.