Hamilton company drives school lunch online
School lunch orders have taken a leap into the future with a website designed by a Hamilton company, Room 9.
Its interactive website for The Lunch Box Club has gone live, transforming the traditional 'pie and Coke' lunch order into a simple-to-use system highlighting healthy options.
Thelunchboxclub.co.nz, founded by Whangarei woman Janine Collins says it is a high-functionality website allowing families to establish an account and plan lunch orders and individualised menus for children months in advance.
Unique features of the site include a traffic light healthy food guide and an allergy alarm when it recognises an ordered menu item with ingredients a child is allergic to.
The Lunch Box Club, initially servicing three Northland schools, has been inundated with inquiries from parents and schools wanting access to the system.
"The plan is to take it throughout New Zealand and it's taking off a lot faster than I thought it would. It will be easy to extend into each region. I just need a supplier," Janine says.
She credits online solutions specialist Room 9 with giving the website a user-friendly interface and her business a leading edge in the market.
"Room 9 has just been amazing. They have an intuitive way with technology and engaging with them has been amazing," she says.
Room 9 managing director Claudia Hill is predicting the highly-functional and simple to use website will be a hit throughout New Zealand.
The nutritionist-endorsed, traffic light food system is particularly innovative - ranking foods with red, orange and green lights, she says.
Green light foods are healthy choices, orange means go easy and red marks items to only be eaten occasionally.
"The really great thing about the site is not only the time it saves parents in the mornings but the educational aspect. Janine's whole driver was to encourage parents to make healthier food choices for their children," Claudia says.
Parents can cancel or adjust food orders up to 8am on the morning of the order.
Room 9 was launched about two years ago when Claudia joined forces with King St Advertising to create interactive online solutions for clients.
"All roads in the marketing world now lead to the web so by adopting a fully integrated approach we can add a great deal of value to our clients," she says.
