We desperately need fruit to become cool again

Fruit too follows trends, fuels them, and responds to them. Just think of strawberries, for instance—the quintessential cottagecore fruit—shaped into cups, plates, and mugs, printed on glasses (like in the anime Nana) and t-shirts, becoming a sought-after object by younger girls. Or cherries, following the same path, shown off on social media—glossy and beautiful—before being washed, portioned, and added to overnight oats and healthy bowls. There’s no doubt that, as absurd as it may sound, some fruits are simply cooler than others—even if we’re talking about food. This is nothing new: it happens constantly on social media—just think about the impact of Emily Mariko’s salmon bowl on the global consumption of Kewpie Mayo. Now, Harvesting Happiness, a campaign promoted by SAF - Spettacoli alla Frutta, aims to revolutionize the perception of fruit and vegetables—especially among younger generations—by leveraging social platforms and the power of virality. But let’s take it step by step.

What is SAF – Spettacoli alla Frutta and the Harvesting Happiness campaign

SAF – Spettacoli alla Frutta is a consortium of 25 top Italian fruit and vegetable producers, united in a temporary business association to promote high-quality, made-in-Italy produce. Through Harvesting Happiness, they aim to bring younger generations closer to fruit and vegetables, with a focus on wellness, technology, and sustainability. The first event of the year-long campaign—which will also reach Venice and Naples in the coming months—took place in Turin, inside the stunning halls of Palazzo Madama. There, during a dinner themed around light and aptly titled Luce Nova, the producers personally presented their products, which guests then got to taste. The evening concluded with a spectacular light show reinforcing the theme.

Gen Z and fruit: a perception problem?

Many reflections emerged. At the table, we further discussed the impact of social media, which is so pervasive that it launches food-related trends. We wondered why young people—as noted by the YouGov Consumer Goods Observatory—don’t seem very interested in nutrition. Within this context, they tend to gravitate more towards packaged goods and ready-made meals and less towards fresh produce. Andrea Fedrizzi from Consorzio Melinda SCA summed up both the campaign’s mission and the challenge: “This campaign marks a clear shift in how we communicate about fruit and vegetables. We need to spread happiness around their consumption, so that it becomes embedded in our culture and society. A little over half of people aged 18 to 69 eat 1–2 servings of fruit or vegetables a day. That percentage drops to 38% for 3–4 servings, and only 7% reach the five a day goal.” Why? There could be many reasons—lack of habit or proper education, economic constraints, stress, distraction, convenience, boredom, accessibility, poor quality of products available in supermarkets, and lack of information about the health, dietary, and wellness benefits.

A multifaceted approach to making fruit and vegetables cool again

As a result, there are many paths to take—some simpler than others—which makes the issue particularly complex and multifaceted. To shift Gen Z’s perception of fruit and vegetables, we need to act on multiple fronts. On one hand, it makes sense to engage with social media and food creators, encouraging them to feature high-quality Italian produce in their recipes, potentially creating the viral momentum we need. From the production side—and that of SAF—the focus is on quality and sustainability, from farm to table, including transport and packaging. Another key route is nutrition education, which should ideally begin in schools. In short, the work to be done is extensive and collaborative—but well worth it, especially when viewed through a wellness lens.


SAF – Spettacoli alla Frutta is a temporary business association (ATI) uniting 25 companies from the Italian fruit and vegetable sector, representing as many brands committed to promoting the consumption of quality produce. The products and brands involved include: Almaverde Bio lemons, Barattì Miss Freschezza barattiere, PGI carrots from the Consorzio della Carota Novella di Ispica, PGI cherries from the Consorzio di Vignola, PGI melons from the Consorzio del Melone Mantovano, PGI tomatoes from the Consorzio di Pachino, PGI radicchio from the Consorzio di Tutela del Radicchio Rosso di Treviso e Variegato di Castelfranco, PGI pears from Emilia Romagna, Cucù cucumbers, Crü zucchini from Colle d’Oro, Dolce Clementina clementines, Dolce Lucano fennel, Jingold kiwis, Lome Super Fruit pomegranates, Melanzì eggplants, Melinda apples, Miss Salad from L’Insalata dell’Orto, Oranfrizer Unifrutti blood oranges, Perla Nera watermelons, Piacere Viviana grapes, Sicilio prickly pears, Solarelli strawberries, Valfrutta Fresco peaches and nectarines, and Cornelio peppers. Also featured are corrugated cardboard packaging by Consorzio Bestack—the project’s ideator and lead partner—which helps maintain freshness, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and serves as a vehicle for producers’ identity and
brand messaging.