Leading meal kit provider HelloFresh has announced a nationwide partnership with Scouts, becoming the official sponsor of the Scouts’ Chef Badge. The initiative will help young people aged 10 to 14 build cooking skills, understand good nutrition, and gain confidence in the kitchen – while connecting HelloFresh with families who value convenience, quality, and sustainability.
The collaboration brings HelloFresh’s home cooking expertise to over 127,000 young people across the UK, supported by 150,000 volunteers delivering activities through nearly 7,000 local Scout Troops. HelloFresh and Scouts will show young people how to follow recipes independently and why good nutrition matters. Recent Samsung research found that nearly half (47%) of 18-to-24-year-olds can only cook one or two meals from memory, and one in five Brits (22%) can manage just two dishes or fewer without a recipe. The HelloFresh Scouts partnership aims to equip young people with those all-important cooking skills.
“Valuable life skills”
As part of the refreshed Chef Badge programme, Scouts will explore meal prep, food safety, balanced nutrition, and reducing waste. Activities include food footprint investigations, practical cooking challenges, and creative tasks to build confidence and encourage thoughtful food choices.
Phillip Doran, CEO at HelloFresh UK & Ireland, said: “Cooking is one of the most valuable life skills a young person can learn. By partnering with Scouts, we’re helping hundreds of thousands of young people gain confidence in the kitchen, understand good nutrition, and discover that preparing food from scratch can be fun, achievable and rewarding. We’re proud to support the Chef Badge and play a role in setting young people up with skills they’ll carry throughout their lives.”
Carl Hankinson, UK chief volunteer, Scouts, added: “We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with HelloFresh. At Scouts, we take pride in equipping young people with skills for life. As ‘grab-and-go’ food becomes increasingly common it’s more important than ever to teach our Scouts not only how to cook, but also the value of reducing food waste. Thanks to HelloFresh’s support, we’ve refreshed our much-loved Scouts’ Chef Activity Badge, ensuring it reflects the growing need for young people to master this essential life skill.”
Why this partnership works
The partnership is a smart move for HelloFresh, putting their offering in front of a new generation of consumers – young people likely from households that prioritise education, sustainability, and healthy living. These families, often with two working parents, seek practical solutions that align with their values, such as reducing food waste and teaching life skills, which are key benefits of HelloFresh’s offering.
By championing scratch cooking, reducing food waste, and supporting community programmes with the HelloFresh Scouts partnership, HelloFresh strengthens its brand promise and builds loyalty among eco-conscious customers. This shows that sustainability and social values are powerful drivers in today’s subscription economy.
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