Wellcome has deepened its commitment to child nutrition by expanding its “Breakfast Buddies” community programme into primary schools across Hong Kong, introducing four lively mascots and interactive games to teach healthy eating habits while continuing to distribute breakfast vouchers to underprivileged students.
“Breakfast Buddies” is a collaboration between Wellcome and the Foodlink Foundation. Launched in May 2025, the programme provides breakfast vouchers to needy primary school children, enabling them to redeem nutritious food items at Wellcome stores. By June 2026, more than 100,000 vouchers had already been distributed, offering tangible support to families struggling to provide balanced morning meals.
On 30 June 2026, Wellcome announced a significant upgrade to the programme: its first foray into school campuses. Four mascot characters — Captain Apple, Oatty, Eggie, and Milky — made their debut, leading hands-on activities designed to make nutrition education engaging and memorable for young students.
Mascots and Interactive Games Bring Learning to Life
The mascots personify key breakfast staples, each linked to a specially designed game that combines physical activity with nutritional lessons:
Apple Digestion Dash：Students race against the clock to complete an obstacle course simulating the human “intestinal track” within one minute.
Crawling, climbing, and navigating through the colourful tunnel, participants not only test their agility and physical fitness but also learn how apples, rich in dietary fibre, promote healthy digestion and support gut health.
Oatty Target Toss：Standing at a designated distance, students have one minute to throw five “Oatty Arrows” into a target container. Each successful throw earns them special Oatty cards, helping them understand that oats provide high-quality complex carbohydrates, serving as an important source of sustained energy for daily activities.
Eggie Jump-a-Thon：Wearing fun, oversized egg costumes, children hop forward with all their might. Their landing positions determine the points they score. Beyond building leg strength and coordination, the game illustrates how eggs are packed with high-quality protein, essential for muscle development and overall growth in children.
Milky Healthy Hoop：Students toss bean bags into different holes on a colourful board, each representing a type of healthy breakfast food. In just one minute, they aim to make accurate throws to earn Milky cards. The game reinforces the importance of making smart, balanced food choices for a nutritious breakfast.
Wellcome piloted these activities at ELCHK Hung Hom Lutheran Primary School and Man Kiu Association Primary School. The events were warmly received, with teachers praising the creative approach that successfully blended fun and learning.
School halls buzzed with excitement as joyful children played alongside the vibrant costumed mascots, dashing through obstacle courses, tossing bean bags, and jumping with glee while absorbing key nutrition lessons. Many students left the sessions energised and more conscious of the benefits of a healthy breakfast.
Wellcome plans to extend similar outreach activities to more schools in different districts, aiming to embed healthy eating habits early in children’s lives through repeated, positive experiences.
Tackling Nutritional Gaps in Hong Kong
Many families in Hong Kong, particularly those from grassroots backgrounds, face challenges in providing consistent, nutritious breakfasts due to long working hours and tight budgets. Government figures indicate that a notable proportion of children from low-income households may skip breakfast or rely on less healthy options. Breakfast Buddies directly addresses this by offering both immediate assistance through vouchers and long-term education via school programmes.
Each voucher allows redemption of one of four selected items: Meadows UHT milk (1 litre), MOMOKO Japanese white eggs (10-pack), Gala apples (1.8 pounds), or Meadows instant/quick-cook oatmeal. These products were chosen for their nutritional value and suitability for growing children.
The programme is a collaboration with the Foodlink Foundation, a charity registered in 2009 that reduces food waste from the hospitality industry while redistributing nutritious meals to those in need. This partnership enables Wellcome to deliver resources more efficiently to vulnerable schoolchildren.
The initiative also forms part of Wellcome’s broader corporate social responsibility efforts. As the company continues to innovate with its “Fresh” grade markets and e-commerce platforms, it remains deeply committed to community support.
Sustained Impact Ahead
For families interested in the programme or schools wishing to participate, further details are available through Wellcome or the Foodlink Foundation. The collaboration stands as a practical example of how business and charity sectors can work together to support Hong Kong’s younger generation.
In a city where the cost of living remains high, programmes like Breakfast Buddies help ensure that no child starts their school day on an empty or unbalanced stomach — giving them a better chance to learn, grow, and thrive.
Four mascot characters — Captain Apple, Oatty, Eggie, and Milky — made their debut, leading hands-on activities designed to make nutrition education engaging and memorable for young students.
The mascots personify key breakfast staples, each linked to a specially designed game that combines physical activity with nutritional lessons.
The mascots personify key breakfast staples, each linked to a specially designed game that combines physical activity with nutritional lessons.
The mascots personify key breakfast staples, each linked to a specially designed game that combines physical activity with nutritional lessons.
