It's not every day Kiwis can enjoy a treat for a good cause, but buying a heart-shaped treat or coffee in August will help raise money to support children born with heart defects.

It's not every day Kiwis can enjoy a treat for a good cause, but buying a heart-shaped treat or coffee in August will help raise money to support children born with heart defects.

Developed and sponsored by Retail Food Group Limited, the initiative will raise funds from special @Heart (formerly Heart Children NZ) treats purchased from Michel's Patisserie, Brumby's Bakeries, and bb's cafe.

Up to $1 from each Heart Children Combo will be donated to Heart Children – the only charity devoted to supporting children and their families affected by Childhood Heart Disease. The Heart Children Combo varies between the RFG brands and includes:

  • • Michel's Patisserie: A small coffee and heart cupcake or heart lamington
  • • Brumby's Bakeries: A sandwich loaf and four heart cupcakes
  • • bb's cafe: A small coffee and heart muffin

RFG CEO Tony Alford said he was keen to raise the awareness of Childhood Heart Disease because it affected so many New Zealand families. "It is the number one cause of infant death in this country," he said.

"Heart Children New Zealand requires funding to provide long term support to those families whose children suffer heart defects."

"RFG's initiative will make a tangible difference to the thousands of families we support," says Heart Children NZ's CEO Lara Syddall. "It will ensure that we will be able to continue providing and facilitating the support and care needed by the many children with heart defects and their families, who daily face medical, emotional, practical and financial challenges."

Heart defects range from holes in their hearts to children being born with only one chamber.

RFG Chief Marketing Officer Tracey Catterall said the stores hoped to raise over $40,000 to support children with heart defects during the next 12 months, with the August campaign the first fundraising effort.

"When RFG staff and our franchisee community understood that 12 children are born each week in New Zealand with a heart defect and that about 450 open heart surgeries were performed on New Zealand children each year, it was overwhelmingly endorsed that we should emotionally and financially provide support," she said.

"We knew the positive impact our brands and scores of retail stores could have in driving Heart Children awareness. We're so committed to the Heart Children charity - this is the first time RFG has ever embarked on a marketing campaign across its brands."

"We're urging Kiwis to think twice when they shop and buy their bread, coffees and treats from one of our retail outlets and join our campaign to help raise money for these brave kids."

Retail Food Group is a leading retail food brand manager and franchisor and owns the Donut King, Michel's Patisserie, Brumby's Bakeries, Brumby's Go!, Big Dad's Pies and bb's cafe franchise systems. There are more than 41 stores in the RFG network across New Zealand. Pop in to a Michel's Patisserie, Brumby's Bakery, and bb's café this month and help Heart Children.