Minute Maid, a subsidiary brand of The Coca-Cola Company, recently launched ‘Minute Maid Nurisha,’ a great tasting, orange-flavored, micronutrient-fortified juice drink to help sustainably address Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) and micronutrient deficiencies among school-aged Filipino children at Sauyo Elementary School in Quezon City.
Hon. Kit Belmonte, 6th District Representative of Quezon City, Dr. Helen Grace Go, Division Superintendent of the Division of City Schools, Dr. Arsenio Honrejas, Jr., Prinicipal of Sauyo Elementary school receive a certificate of Donation of Minute Maid Nurisha, a great tasting orange flavoured juice drink that helps sustainably address Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) and other micronutrient deficiencies found in school aged-children from Diego Granizo, President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Philippines, Cecile Alcantara, President of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc., and Adel Tamano, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola Philippines. #nppaimages #CocaCola #nurishia #MinuteMaid
In a recent program partnership agreement signed with the Office of Congressman Kit Belmonte and with the support of the Office of the Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, and the DepEd Division of City Schools, Coca-Cola Philippines commits to provide 3,500 school children in the 6th District of Quezon City. Through the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program, Coca-Cola Philippines aims to help improve the health and well-being of school children.
Since 2005, Coca-Cola Philippines has worked with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology to develop a beverage that will help alleviate Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) through the NutriJuice Program. The efficacy study conducted in 2006 has yielded very positive results among children suffering from IDA.
Parents of students from Sauyo Elementary School were also given guidelines how to create healthy meals for their family and children that are still within budget. #nppaimages #CocaCola #nurishia #MinuteMaid
This year, Coca-Cola expanded the partnership with FNRI to develop a wider spectrum beverage product that will not only help address IDA but also the overall micronutrient deficiencies among school children through the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program. Using the fruit and nature expertise of the Minute Maid brand, Coca-Cola with FNRI developed a new clinically proven orange-juice drink that helps deliver 14 key nutrients to address common nutrient gaps in a child’s diet. Minute Maid Nurisha is given to school children ages 6 to 9 for free for a period of 120 days.
“Globally, we believe that nourishing the youth of today enables us to help build better and stronger communities tomorrow. We continuously strive to develop and innovate our products that help improve the well-being not only of our business, but of our consumers and the communities we serve. This is the very reason why Minute Maid Nurisha is not sold in your local grocery stores but distributed for free only through our partners, Department of Education, and the local government,” shares Adel Tamano, Coca-Cola Philippines Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications.
Nearly 50 associates of the Coca-Cola Philippines joined in the fun as students of Sauyo Elementary School in Quezon City participate in various palarong pinoy activities such as patintero, tumbang preso and agawan base at the launch of Minute Maid Nurisha, a great tasting, orange flavoured juice drink that helps sustainably address Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) and other micronutrient deficiencies common in children aged six to nine, to help children stay active and healthy. #nppaimages #CocaCola #nurishia #MinuteMaid
According to the 2008 National Nutrition Survey, malnutrition, specifically IDA – occurs in 19.8% or roughly three million children in the Philippines.
“IDA may lead to several health and economic problems including stunted growth, tiredness, poor work performance and physical and cognitive underdevelopment. It is best to treat IDA as early as possible,” shares Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, Ph.D., Assistant Scientist, FNRI-DOST.
“The health and well-being of our students here in Quezon City is our outmost priority and we look forward to another great partnership with Coca-Cola,” concludes Hon. Kit Belmonte, 6th District Representative of Quezon City.
Dr. Helen Grace Go, Division Superintendent of the Division of City Schools says that the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program further highlights the value of partnerships between the government and the private sector in creating projects that are instrumental towards addressing the needs of students, teachers, and schools alike. “In programs like Adopt-a-School, we are able to open channels for private institutions like Coca-Cola to help provide a conducive learning environment to the students,” she further mentions.
About 300 students of Sauyo Elementary School in the 6th District of Quezon City actively participate as Coca-Cola Philippines launch Minute Maid Nurisha – a great tasting, orange flavoured juice drink that helps sustainably address Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) and other micronutirent deficiencies that are often prevalent in Filipino school-aged children #nppaimages #CocaCola #nurishia #MinuteMaid
About 300 students enjoyed Minute Maid Nurisha drinks, and had fun playing traditional Filipino games with volunteer associates of Coca-Cola Philippines. Meanwhile, their parents and teachers learned about the benefits of the product and how to create healthy meals that are within budget.
Minute Maid Nurisha is high in iron, which alleviates IDA, and contains 14 essential nutrients such as Zinc, Vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, and E; that aid a child’s physical and mental growth and development. Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program also aims to promote an active healthy lifestyle among children at an early age.
Ako ay isang batang Nurisha. A beneficiary of the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program recites a ‘panunumpa’ to always stay nourished by being healthy, active and happy. Ako ay isang batang Nurisha. A beneficiary of the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program recites a ‘panunumpa’ to always stay nourished by being healthy, active and happy. #nppaimages #CocaCola #nurishia #MinuteMaid
Since 2008, the supplementary feeding program of Coca-Cola has impacted 242,000 children over the country. This year, the Company targets to impact 30,000 more.
Minute Maid Nurisha is not commercially sold. The implementation of the Minute Maid Nurisha Supplementary Program is under the Adopt-A-School Program partnership of Coca-Cola Philippines with the Department of Education. Coca-Cola Philippines is open to partner with public elementary school systems and other like-minded organizations. For interested organizations and/or schools, please send a letter of interest to Coca-Cola via Social_CokePH@coca-cola.com.
For more information on efforts around malnutrition of The Coca-Cola Company, please visit the nutrition section of the sustainability website:
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/sustainabilityreport/me/nutrition.html#section-addressing-malnutrition-through-our-fortified-products.