British butternut campaign returns

A collaboration between Barfoots, Veg Power, the not-for-profit organisation on a mission to increase the UK’s veg, fruit and bean consumption, alongside long term seed partner Sakata and long term customer Waitrose…the Better with Butternut campaign celebrates the highly nutritious and delicious vegetable that can now be grown at scale on Barfoots’ farm on the south coast thanks to varietal development. 

Building on the success of previous years, this campaign is the most ambitious yet – championing British-grown butternut squash through a growing story film, chef-led recipe content, schools resources, and in-store Waitrose activation.

At the heart of this year’s campaign and new for 2026 is a British Butternut: Meet the Grower film, following the journey of butternut squash from plug planting at Barfoots’ farm on the South Coast of England through to harvest and the plate. The film is produced by Barfoots, with Veg Power and Waitrose supporting distribution across their social and digital channels, and a primary school-adapted version accompanied by a lesson plan on where food comes from. The growing story highlights how varietal development has enabled butternut squash to be grown at scale on the South Coast, while connecting British provenance, quality and nutrition with the sustainable farming practices behind the crop — including Barfoots’ involvement in Farming for Nature, Waitrose’s regenerative agriculture programme.

Above: Behind the scenes of the British Butternut Growing Story film,  featuring Oliver Chadwyck-Healey, Waitrose Partner & Farming for Nature Delivery Lead.

Better with Butternut will engage consumers in a variety of ways including in-store activation at Waitrose with packaging stickers driving shoppers to campaign content and competition entries, alongside interactive school resources, nutritional guidance, compelling growing stories, and recipe ideas.

Veg Power’s network of culinary and nutrition ambassadors are supporting the initiative through short-form Creator Studio video content. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall features in a dedicated social media video championing butternut squash for flavour, versatility and as a fresh source of fibre, tying into Veg Power’s wider Feel the Fibre initiative. Recipe content features a lineup of much-loved chefs and nutritionists including Sam Nixon, Jeffrey Boadi, Christine Bailey RNutr, Bettina Campolucci Bordi and Ben Tish.

By bringing together a grower, seed company, retailer, and not-for-profit organisation, Better with Butternut highlights what can be accomplished through sustained collaboration to elevate a seasonal crop. Having reached 28 million people, Veg Power’s #SeasonalVeg platform stands as one of the UK’s most effective vehicles for crop promotion.

Dan Parker, Chief Executive, Veg Power, said, “We’re delighted to be back with our Better with Butternut campaign and we’re set to reach even more of the UK confirming how tasty, versatile and nutritious this British-grown veg really is. What began as a seasonal veg initiative with Barfoots four years ago, has become a four way collaboration with a wider range of consumer engagement activities. We’re looking forward to working with Barfoots, Sakata and Waitrose to get more of the UK enjoying seasonal butternut squash.”

Stuart Cox, Managing Director at SAKATA said, ‘Team-work makes the dream work’ sums up nicely what we have achieved with this collaboration. Delivering British Butternuts to UK consumers is a great story to tell of plant breeding endeavour, best practice in farming innovation, a supporting retailer and great promotional activity all combining to deliver with impact a healthy, tasty and nutritious vegetable to UK consumers.

Samantha Witherington, Butternut Buyer at Waitrose: “We’re exceptionally proud to partner with Veg Power, Barfoots, and Sakata for a third year to celebrate brilliant British butternut squash. Championing local produce and sustainable farming is at the very heart of what we do at Waitrose. Through our Farming for Nature regenerative agriculture programme, we’re working closely with growers like Barfoots to bring our customers exceptional, high-quality seasonal produce while protecting our farmland for the future. Butternut squash is such a versatile, delicious, and nutrient-rich staple, and we’re excited to help our food loving shoppers make the absolute most of the British harvest this season.”

Kim Barfoot-Brace, Brand and Marketing Manager, Barfoots, said, “It’s been fantastic to collaborate with Veg Power and our long-term customer Waitrose and seed partner Sakata on championing British Butternut. We’re delighted with the visibility and sales the campaign has driven of this highly nutritious and delicious vegetable, which thanks to varietal development, we are now able to grow at scale on our farm on the South Coast of England.”