BY MICHELLE LAUSEN
PROGRAM MANAGER, PLUS ONE SERVE BY 2030

Australia is in the midst of a vegetable consumption crisis – and the vegetable industry is stepping up with a bold, collaborative solution. Backed by new research, cross-sector engagement, and a shared sense of urgency, the Plus One Serve by 2030 program aims to add one more serve of vegetables to every Australian’s plate, every day, by the end of the decade.

It’s a clear and achievable goal – but one that requires national action and industry alignment to succeed.

Co-funded by Hort Innovation and industry levies, Plus One Serve by 2030 is the most ambitious vegetable demand creation initiative ever undertaken in Australia. Led by AUSVEG and supported by research, health, retail, and education partners across the country, the program is grounded in the principle that increasing vegetable consumption is good for everyone – from public health to household budgets, to vegetable growers’ bottom lines.

This article provides an overview of the program’s purpose, the critical evidence base behind it, and what it means for vegetable growers in every region of Australia.

Why we need a national shift

Australians are not eating enough vegetables. In fact, according to updated baseline modelling completed in 2024, we’re consuming just 1.8 serves per person per day on average – well short of the recommended five daily serves.

This low intake has major consequences: poor health outcomes, rising chronic disease, and a shrinking domestic market for vegetable producers. At the same time, growers face ongoing pressure from rising input costs, weather extremes, and market volatility. A coordinated demand-side response is not just timely – it’s essential.

In 2022, the Fruit & Vegetable Consortium’s Shifting the Dial report made the case for a national strategy to increase vegetable intake. It called for a cross-sector response similar to other successful public health efforts, such as anti-smoking campaigns or water conservation programs. From this recommendation, Plus One Serve by 2030 was born.

Building the foundation: strategy, baseline, and evidence

Click to read the report summary

Before any interventions could be designed, robust groundwork was needed. In mid- 2024, AUSVEG, together with partners CSIRO, Corporate Value Associates (CVA), AgEcon, and over 40 industry collaborators, delivered the Plus One Serve National Strategy and Baseline Report – a foundational body of work that now guides the entire initiative.

The report delivered several key outcomes:

• A new national baseline: by integrating production, sales, and household food waste data, the report confirmed that average vegetable consumption is actually lower than previously estimated – just 1.8 serves per day, not 2.4.
• Behavioural intervention framework: drawing on global best practice and behavioural science, the team developed a framework for targeted, evidence-based intervention across five priority settings – home, retail, early learning, primary and secondary education.
• Economic modelling: If Australia achieves an extra serve per person per day by 2030, it would result in a $1.38 billion reduction in healthcare costs, a $3.3 billion uplift to the vegetable supply chain, and create over 12,800 new jobs, mostly in production regions. For every $1 invested, there’s an estimated $12.30 return.

This rigorous body of work is already guiding program actions – and giving growers and partners confidence in the strategy ahead.

What will the program do?

Plus One Serve by 2030 is a six-year national R&D and demand creation program with a focus on scalable, practical interventions that meet Australians where they are. Rather than launching a single campaign, the program is structured as a platform to test, invest in, and scale what works – using a settings-based approach.

The Priority Settings

1. Retail: with 82 percent of vegetables purchased via supermarkets, greengrocers, and markets, the retail setting is a powerful access point. A Retail Setting Action Plan was developed in early 2025 to co-design shopper-led interventions like per-serve pricing, product placement, bundle offers, and digital nudges to make vegetables easier and more appealing to buy.
2. Home: consumption happens at home. Interventions here focus on helping Australians build long-term habits – such as cook-at-home meal kits, waste reduction tools, convenience packs, and education through influencers or digital content.
3. Education: reaching children early, across all stages of education, is key to building lifelong healthy eating habits. In-school interventions include curriculum-linked programs, kitchen garden initiatives, school canteen improvements, and parent engagement.

Each setting will be underpinned by co-designed projects, industry partnerships, and shared measurement.

A whole-of-system approach

What sets Plus One Serve apart is its collaborative, whole-of-system approach. The program is not driven by the government alone or limited to retail marketing. Instead, it unites a diverse group of partners under one shared goal – each playing their part in shifting behaviour and strengthening the supply chain.

Supporting the Plus One Serve program is a growing network of vegetable ecosystem collaborators, including:

• National Research Network: bringing together Australia’s top nutrition, behavioural science, and public health experts to guide interventions and evaluate outcomes.
• Vegetable Consumption Collective (VCC): a community of practice involving health NGOs, government departments, grower organisations, and community groups sharing tools, knowledge, and coordination.
• Retail and Industry Partners: retailers, supply chain operators, and food service businesses are critical implementation partners – working pre-competitively to trial and scale solutions.

Program governance: united leadership, shared accountability

A program of this scale and national importance requires strong governance and aligned leadership across sectors. That’s where the National Program Steering Committee (NPSC) plays a vital role.

The NPSC provides high-level strategic oversight and expert guidance to ensure Plus One Serve by 2030 stays on track, focused, and grounded in evidence.

It provides external oversight of the program’s direction, risks, scope, timeline, and methodology – ensuring transparency, accountability, and sector alignment at every step.

Chaired by AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote, the NPSC brings together senior leaders from across the agricultural, health, retail, education, and research communities, including:

• Hort Innovation
• Premier Fresh Australia/IFPA (International Fresh Produce Association)
• Woolworths
• Coles
• Simplot
• Rugby Farm
• Kalfresh
• CSIRO
• Flinders University
• Australian Catholic University (ACU)

This multi-sector committee meets quarterly to review progress, manage risks, and steer the direction of the national program. Their collective knowledge ensures the program’s workplan reflects real-world conditions and delivers shared value across health, industry, and society.

“Historically low vegetable consumption is not just a health concern, it threatens the long-term viability of Australia’s vegetable industry,” says Mr Coote.

Key responsibilities of the NPSC include:

• Providing strategic advice and cross-sector expertise to align and strengthen the program
• Endorsing annual workplans, including stop-go decisions and co-designed R&D priorities
• Championing and amplifying the program’s goals across their respective industries
• Advising on risk management, operational delivery, and potential program scope changes
• Recommending new evidence-based R&D projects to Hort Innovation for funding consideration

“We’re not just selling a product – we’re shaping a national habit,” says Mr Coote. “Plus One Serve is about building lifelong demand for vegetables, and every grower has a stake in that future.”

By bringing together the right minds around one table, the NPSC ensures that Plus One Serve by 2030 is guided by expert input, collaborative decision making, and a commitment to outcomes that benefit all Australians – and the vegetable industry that feeds them.

This model of governance is designed to evolve with the program – allowing new voices, sectors, and innovations to join as momentum builds and interventions are scaled.

Meet the Plus One Serve Program Team

Justine Coates
Managing Director

Justine is dedicated to building sustainable futures for human and planetary health. With expertise in agriculture, food, health, and funding models, she drives investment and consumer demand strategies to deliver a triple-bottom-line of benefits.

Michelle Lausen
Program Manager

Michelle drives collaborative action across the diverse vegetable ecosystem including vegetable growers and supply chain, researchers, government, and the health sector to develop impactful strategies to increase national consumption.

Keira Doyle
Brand Manager

Keira is an experienced Brand Manager with a health background, driving brand and digital strategy for the Plus One Serve program. She combines creative insight, consumer understanding, and a passion for health to deliver campaigns that drive awareness and engagement.

What’s next?

The next 12 months of Plus One Serve will focus on moving from strategy to action. Key priorities include:

• Finalising and launching the Retail Setting Action Plan, with pilot projects in partnership with retailers
• Advancing the Home Setting Action Plan
• Expanding the National Research Network to cover all five settings and priority cohorts
• Strengthening state and community engagement through the Vegetable Consumption Collective
• Establishing baseline and ongoing measurement tools, including consumer tracking and M&E dashboards
• Securing co-investment partners and enabling test-and-learn pilots that can scale

Get involved

The success of Plus One Serve depends on partnership. Whether you’re a grower, a processor, a wholesaler, or a manufacturer – your insights and involvement matter.

There are many ways to get involved:

• Participate in co-design workshops or R&D projects
• Advocate for the program through your networks and industry bodies
• Share your voice and feedback to help shape future actions
• Support retailers, educators, and health partners in delivering real change

Together, we can grow not just vegetables, but a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable Australia.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information or to connect with the program team, visit plusoneserve.com.au or contact info@plusoneserve.com.au