Western Grocer Serving the industry since 1916
August 27, 2024—The Grocery Foundation (TGF) today announced plans to unveil a new master brand,
Make Happy Tummies /Créons de joyeux p’tits bedons effective January 2, 2025. The new master brand will
encompass the shopper marketing and fundraising campaign Toonies for Tummies and The Grocery
Foundation’s Breakfast Voucher Program, which offers student nutrition programs healthy products at
significant savings. The Night to Nurture Gala will continue to be known as the Night to Nurture Gala and
will return on February 1, 2025. Information for the upcoming 2025 Gala will continue to be found on
groceryfoundation.com.
Along with its new master brand, The Foundation also announced the first Make Happy Tummies
fundraising campaign will also include Quebec with Metro and Super C taking the program national with
approximately 1,800 participating grocery stores. A new bilingual website, makehappytummies.ca will
launch early January and contain information about the campaign, voucher program and information
currently found on groceryfoundation.com.
“The Grocery Foundation has an incredible history. We’ve been making tummies happy for some time and
now it’s official,” says Shaun McKenna, Executive Director, The Grocery Foundation. “We’re honoured to
steward our industry’s impact and are excited by the canvas for growth that will be offered by the synergies
of a common brand across our properties. We’re equally encouraged that Canadians from across the
country and in both official languages affirm the new Make Happy Tummies’ logo resonates with them. It
evokes joy, is eye-catching and most importantly fits with our brand mission and vision,” he adds.
Make Happy Tummies will make its debut with a fundraising campaign in Western Canada, Ontario and
Atlantic Canada in January-April 2025. Sponsorship opportunities are now open and include Early Bird
pricing and bonus visibility for brands who sign on by September 4, 2024. Information can be found at
makehappytummies.ca/sponsorship. “With the continued and growing support of an increasing number of
brands and organizations across the grocery community, we hope to continue to raise more donations and
get healthy food to an expanding number of hungry children. There are more of them, so we need more of
us,” adds McKenna.
The announcement signals a new chapter for The Foundation focused on the impact and commitment of
the unique community of industry partners who rally behind its mission to get food to hungry children. With
the commitment and support of a growing network of partners; The Grocery Foundation helps nourish more
than 1 million tummies and stewards the industry’s collective impact through donations to Breakfast Club
of Canada and Student Nutrition Ontario, along with numerous other student nutrition and backpack
programs. Donations to these programs will continue with 100% of donations continuing to benefit over one
million children at over 3,000 programs that The Foundation currently helps fund with public donations and
industry sponsorship. The program expansion in Quebec will benefit several hundred programs managed
by Breakfast Club of Canada.
The new brand underscores the good that comes from nourishing hungry children, which extends to entire
school communities and teaches them lifelong skills. In recent years, more and more data has confirmed
not only the physical but the mental health benefits that come from helping to address food insecurity
among children. The move to a new master brand also reflects input from industry affirming synergies that
stand to be gained between Toonies for Tummies and The Grocery Foundation’s Breakfast Voucher Program
each with their unique benefits for brands looking to help student nutrition programs tied to their ESG and
brand-building efforts.
Beyond the expansion and continued growth of its annual fundraiser supported by banners including BuyLow Foods, Calgary Co-op, Empire Inc. banners IGA, Foodland and participating Co-ops, Thrifty Foods,
Safeway and Sobeys, FreshCo, Freson Bros., Food Basics, Longo’s, Metro, Nester’s Market, Save-OnFoods, many independent retailers and now Metro PQ and Super C, two restaurants, Stacked Pancake &
Breakfast House and MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual have also recently announced their support for the
Foundation’s work and mission.
From September 1-September 30, ninety-three Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House franchisees at
restaurants in Western Canada, Ontario and New Brunswick will donate $1 from each sale of every stack of
specialty pancakes, including 2 specialty pancakes created just for the campaign. Each $1 donated during
the campaign will be matched by a $1 donation by their head office, doubling the impact. And, for the first
time, on September 9, MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual will launch their first quarterly campaign. Their
upcoming fall campaign will see $1 donated from every feature entrée sold. Additionally, on September 20th
MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual will hold a special promotion with $2 being donated from every feature
Mikeburger sold.
The Foundation has established an email for industry to direct emails regarding the branding. That email is
brandhelp@makehappytummies.ca.
Branding design and marketing materials was developed by Ostrich Studios, and Quake, Creative and
Design with research led by IMI International.
About The Grocery Foundation
The Grocery Foundation helps organizations that provide healthy food to hungry school-aged children,
supporting the physical and emotional well-being of millions of Canadian children. Our community of
retailers and manufacturers is contributing to important causes through The Night to Nurture Gala and the
Make Happy Tummies fundraising campaign and Voucher Program. Over 27 organizations in Canada are
supported by The Night to Nurture, which provides food for children through school based and other
student nutrition and backpack programs, as well as vital mental health supports.
For further information, please contact:
Gabby Nobrega
gabby@groceryfoundation.com
416.930.9756
