Running from July 2025 to December 2026, the campaign is rooted in the strategic investment plan goal of demand creation – supporting the Australian onion industry by developing existing and future domestic markets.

The overarching objective is to drive consumer demand by inspiring Australians to consume more onions, more often. The campaign aims to significantly increase domestic consumption by continuing to position Australian onions as the first ingredient in every meal, building a flavourful foundation for every dish.

INSPIRE

In-Store Sampling Program

One of the pillars of the marketing strategy focuses on inspiring onion usage across everyday meal occasions by driving conversion at the point of purchase. The aim is to showcase the taste, versatility and emotional appeal of Australian onions, which will be achieved through a targeted in-store sampling program.

The first burst of the onions in-store sampling program is set to commence in February 2026, with a total of 130 sessions to be conducted throughout February and March.

The program covers both major retailers and independent chains to achieve broad representation across multiple states. The distribution of the in-store sampling will be as follows: 45 percent held at Woolworths, 45 percent held at Coles, and 10 percent held at independents/green grocers. The allocation of stores across states will be based on population density, store performance and permittance of in-store demos.

The recipes for the first burst will feature brown onions (caramelised brown onion) and red onions (grilled red onion, halloumi and zucchini skewers), encouraging year-round consumption.

The program is designed to physically remind and inspire consumers to choose onions by reinforcing their role in elevating everyday meals and keeping them front-of-mind for shoppers.

CONNECT

Earned Media Activity

As part of the ‘Connect’ pillar of the marketing plan, Australian Onions will activate an earned media PR spike. The objective is to motivate light buyers who cook 3–4 times per week to always start their meal with an onion.

The earned media activity is designed to drive mass reach by leveraging nostalgia in a timely and culturally relevant way, making it newsworthy to generate media coverage.

This strategy is based on the idea that people love to eat foods that remind them of their past. Nostalgic foods provide comfort and emotional regulation through familiar flavours, while also fostering social connection and strengthening feelings of belonging and community.

In February 2026, Australian Onions will celebrate Valentine’s Day through a targeted earned media approach across breakfast TV and lifestyle media. This will drive top-of-mind awareness and make consumers fall in love with the flavour hit of onions.

The storytelling will be led by brand ambassador Mary Kalifatidis, positioning onions as the first ingredient in meals this Valentine’s Day. The campaign will drive emotional connection by showing Australians how to cook meaningful, delicious date-night meals at home for your loved ones. This celebration of coming together will spark nostalgic moments only onions can own.

The recipes will also be shared across social media channels to drive further reach and engagement.

Social Media Activity

Paid social advertising is now live across Meta platforms with the intention of building high-reach, top-of-mind awareness.

Australian Onions has partnered with brand ambassador Mary Kalifatidis and various other content creators to create recipes that embed onion cooking into everyday meals. The recipes highlight different onion varietals and deliver key messages around taste benefits, versatility and ease, as well as health benefits. These partnerships will foster authentic conversations and bring both credibility and warmth to the message.

The delicious recipes shared so far include Mary Kalifatdis’ (@maryykala) Onion Pie and Dezi Madafferi’s (@dezi_cooks) Bolognese. These recipes have successfully generated buzz and reminded Australians that great meals start with an onion.