For newcomers in Canada, opening a lunchbox in front of others can be an anxiety-inducing, disconcerting experience. With many dealing with The Lunchbox Moment—the unsettling experience of revealing food that's considered different and being the odd one out—RITZ Canada is stepping up to create a safe space where everyone is welcome.
Canada's most-loved cracker brand has just launched All Flavours Welcome, a celebration of different foods and cultures, starting in school lunchrooms. To do so, RITZ Canada has teamed up with Canadian professional tennis player Leylah Fernandez and professional hockey player Nazem Kadri, to share their own personal lunchbox stories.
"My grandparents immigrated to Canada not knowing how to speak the language, but they knew how to cook, and food was their way to communicate love," said Fernandez. "I am half Filipino and half Ecuadorian, and the love for food and sharing a meal together has always played a big role in my culture. Creating a space for newcomers—especially children—to feel proud of their culture and celebrate these cultural differences is so important to me. That's why I am proud to be supporting RITZ with All Flavours Welcome."
Canada is often considered a place where people can be themselves and maintain a connection to one's culture. However, there are times when some feel like they must conform to fit in. As a cracker that goes with every flavour, RITZ Canada wants to highlight how a celebration of food cultures can only make the country better.
"As Canada's most-loved cracker brand, RITZ is no stranger to unique flavour combinations. With All Flavours Welcome, we want to be the connecting canvas celebrating all the cultures that, together, make Canada stronger," said Jaclyn Campbell, Director of Marketing for Crackers at Mondelez Canada. "At RITZ, we believe that opening your lunchbox with friends shouldn't be stressful and that diversity should be celebrated. We're encouraging Canadians to try more delicious new dishes and cuisines to help eliminate stigma around food and make people feel welcome."
Starting today, Canadians can visit RITZ All Flavours Welcome and read about how to bring this conversation to their own tables. RITZ is also encouraging all Canadians to try a new food for the first time on the first day of every month, and then post about the experience with the hashtag #allflavourswelcome as part of its Firsts on First social series.
To learn more about All Flavours Welcome, visit the Instagram page @ritzcrackerscanada and use the hashtag #AllFlavoursWelcome.