Bringing health through food to as many people as possible means increasing access and nutrition resources where needed – both across our Danone enterprise and with our brands. OIKOS, America’s #1 high protein yogurt brand known for its strong portfolio of cups, drinks and shakes, has set out to help close nutrition gaps in U.S. communities facing nutrition insecurity – with focus on college communities.
Multiple barriers, such as rising costs, insufficient resources and overall lack of access to nutrient dense foods, have left many U.S. communities nutrition insecure.
College communities are disproportionately impacted, with an estimation of at least 37% reporting limited access to nutritionally adequate foods, according to the latest data from Hope Center.** Student athletes are no exception.
Starting this fall, OIKOS is expanding its Nutrition Sponsorship Program. To date, the brand has partnered with select university athletic departments, including Savannah State University and Jackson State University as the Official Nutrition Sponsor of their athletics departments, sponsoring nutrition seminars and fueling on-campus refueling and snack stations. The brand has donated funding and over 800lb of yogurt product to ensure healthy snack options are accessible to students.
Entering its third year of programming, OIKOS is joining forces with Swipe Out Hunger, a national nonprofit powering the movement to end college student hunger. This partnership will allow OIKOS to support more schools, students and collegiate athletes facing nutrition insecurity. The sponsorship program kicks off the academic year at Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, TX) and Grambling State University (Grambling, LA).
“Food should never be a barrier to meeting your goals. By investing in food access and education for students and student athletes, we are funding both academic success and athletic performance. This partnership with OIKOS addresses immediate needs on campus, bring us closer to a future where every student has the resources to thrive.” – Jaime Hansen, Executive Director, Swipe Out Hunger
Through its partnership with Swipe Out Hunger, the OIKOS Nutrition Sponsorship Program is designed to improve nutrition access and provide nutrition education for more students and athletes.
Increasing Nutrition Access: As the universities’ Official Nutrition Sponsor, OIKOS provides both product donations and funding that increases healthy and high-protein snack options available on campus. Nutrition resources will be split between on-campus food security programs like student food pantries and identified university athletic departments to provide nutritious food for healthy snack stations.
Providing Nutrition Education: OIKOS collaborates with registered dietitians to host customized educational sessions on campus to inspire healthy eating habits tailored to students’ everyday lives, including the specific nutritional needs of student athletes. The partnership also offers student athletes free, ongoing access to a registered dietitian throughout the school year.
“The importance of a healthy diet cannot be underestimated in collegiate success – for both academic and athletic pursuits”, says Whitney Evans PhD, RD, Director, Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at Danone North America. “Yet, so many college students do not have adequate access to nutrition or the knowledge of how to properly fuel their bodies. So, in addition to improving access to healthy food options, we are committed to helping students build their understanding of nutrition.”
The OIKOS Nutrition Sponsorship Program is one example of how our brands support Danone’s mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible. OIKOS is setting out to help increase access to the right nutrition resources that fuel strength, with a focus on supporting the next generation of students and athletes in areas where the need is greatest.
Learn more about Danone’s mission.
* not a low-calorie food
** Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey, 2023-2024
