Research & Development
Driving National Change Through Research and Development
A bold, transformational six-year R&D program informed by global best practice, national data, and consumer insights. Through the Plus One Serve Research & Development Pillar, we identify opportunities, prioritise national action, and co-design, test, and scale interventions that make it easier for Australians to eat one more serve of vegetables every day. This program brings together leading researchers, behavioural scientists, health promoters, retailers, growers, and innovators to generate evidence that drives measurable, sustained change.
Programs & Initiatives
Programs & Initiatives
Retail Setting Action Plan
Developing a clear, evidence-based roadmap that identifies three priority areas for research and implementation — accessibility and value perception, relevance and inspiration, and trust and connection. The Plan serves as a national guide for stakeholders and a practical brief for future retail projects and engagement with major retailers to help Australians buy and eat more vegetables.
Partners
Hort Innovation, AUSVEG, CVA, research, industry, and retail stakeholders
Setting
Retail
Community Listening Research
Understanding barriers and motivators to vegetable consumption through community-led conversations across diverse households and cultural groups.
Partners
Fifty-five 5, Akcelo
Setting
Home & Community
Status
Completed
Functionally fit: veg Health benefits to educate and inspire
Growing vegetable consumption through a powerful change narrative that educates and inspires consumers on functional health benefits like mood, energy, and vitality – transforming how vegetables are considered.
Partners
Soon to be announced
Setting
All
Status
In Development
Farm Gate: Primary School Vegetable Education Program
Grower-led learning experiences connecting children directly with vegetable production — from paddock to plate — to build positive attitudes, curiosity, and daily consumption habits. Through immersive farm visits, classroom resources, and home engagement via a digital hub, Farm Gate fosters hands-on learning about where food comes from, how it affects mood and health, and why vegetables matter for people and the planet.
Partners
VEG Education, Velisha Farms, Monash University
Setting
Primary Schools
Status
In Progress
Pick of the Crop: National Scale-Up Extension
Extending Queensland’s successful Pick of the Crop program into new regions to build a national evidence base on how schools can shift vegetable consumption. This phase will evaluate which school-led strategies — from grower engagement to food provision and curriculum integration — deliver measurable increases in vegetable intake, and how these can be adapted across diverse communities, including remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander settings.
Partners
Queensland Health & Wellbeing, AUSVEG, Hort Innovation
Setting
Primary Schools
Status
Proposed / In Development
Co-Designing Healthy School Canteens
Testing how co-design, pricing, and sustainability strategies can make vegetables more appealing, accessible, and affordable for secondary students. This intervention brings together chefs, students, and canteen staff to redesign menus, boost taste appeal, and promote environmental and health benefits — helping adolescents make vegetables the easy and desirable choice at school.
Partners
Deakin IPAN, Coles, Healthy Eating Advisory Service, AUSVEG, Hort Innovation
Setting
Secondary Schools
Status
Proposed / In Progress
