Coles ambassador and 2023 MasterChef winner Brent Draper made a bald statement for men's health by chopping off his luscious beard to launch the 2024 Coles Movember campaign in Melbourne yesterday.
Brent's big shave was undertaken by hairstylist to the stars, Joey Scandizzo, who has Elle Macpherson, Megan Gale and AFL-star Nick Daicos among his clientele, to support the annual men's health fundraiser.
This month, a portion of sales from participating products sold at Coles supermarkets and on Coles Online will be donated to Movember to support programs and initiatives across Australia to address mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
Participating products include the entire men's personal care range, selected Listerine dental products, selected Coles, MasterFoods and Nando's sauce ranges, and the popular Coles Bakery mo-shaped 2 pack iced donuts (maximum donation limits apply for men's personal care products and Coles, MasterFoods and Nando's sauces).
Brent, who famously withdrew on-air from series 13 of MasterChef due to mental health struggles before returning for the 2023 series, said he was delighted to help raise funds and awareness for Movember.
"Movember is a cause that is close to my heart for many reasons and I'm honoured to shave off my beard for the first time in 12 years to help launch the 2024 fundraising campaign at Coles," he said.
"My father-in-law has battled prostate cancer in recent years, and I've had to overcome my own mental health challenges to make a successful comeback on MasterChef and to be where I'm now. These experiences have inspired me to support Movember because I know that there are many Aussie men who are facing their own physical and mental health challenges."
Coles Group Corporate and Indigenous Affairs Officer Sally Fielke said all funds raised at Coles will be donated to Movember to help support vital men's health initiatives.
"Coles is proud to have contributed to the funding of over 1,300 men's health initiatives globally through our longstanding partnership with Movember, with the support of our team members, customers and suppliers," she said.
"Our team members love getting behind Movember each year by signing up to the Movember Coles Group Challenge and we hope our customers can join in the movement too by simply purchasing any men's personal care products, selected sauces and mouthwashes or our limited-edition Coles Bakery Movember iced donuts this month at Coles."
Movember Director of Partnerships and New Business Kieran Ryan said partners like Coles have played a huge role in helping Movember to implement and deliver men's health initiatives, but the need is ongoing.
"Movember is incredibly proud of the outcomes that we've been able to achieve over the past two decades to advance men's health in Australia such as research into a new class of precise prostate cancer medicine, the establishment of the Movember Institute of Men's Health and creation of online resources for men seeking help with mental health," he said.
"These outcomes can only be achieved with the support of the dedicated Movember community and through partners like Coles. That's why we hope customers can support Movember by purchasing a participating product at Coles this month. All funds raised will help go towards supporting men's health research, workshops and resources across Australia."
Coles Group is the major partner of Movember and has raised more than $4.2m for the charity since 2010 through customer donations, team member fundraising, and donations from the sales of participating products such as Choosy Beggars wines and Coles KOi For Men grooming range.
In addition to raising funds for Movember, Coles has also partnered with Movember and the AFL to present over 900 "Ahead of the Game" youth mental health workshops to AFL community clubs across Australia. The free youth mental health program teaches players, parents, coaches, umpires and volunteers to understand mental health, build mental fitness and strengthen resilience.
The 2024 Coles Movember campaign commenced on Wednesday, 30 October and will conclude on Saturday, 30 November.
For crisis support or suicide intervention services, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Coles supermarkets and Coles Online 2024 Movember campaign participating products
| Product | Donation |
|---|---|
| Coles Bakery Movember Iced Donut 2-pack | 10 cents from every 2-pack sold between 16 October and 30 November 2024 |
| All men's deodorant, grooming and incontinence products | 50 cents from every product sold between 30 October and 30 November 2024, with a maximum donation of $1.1m |
| Listerine mouthwashes | 50 cents from selected products* sold between 1 November and 30 November 2024 |
| MasterFoods tomato and BBQ sauces | 10 cents from any MasterFoods Tomato or BBQ Sauce sold between 30 October and 26 November 2024, with a maximum donation of $80,000 |
| Coles Burger Sauce | 50 cents from any specially marked* Coles Burger Sauce sold between 30 October and 30 November 2024, with a maximum donation of $40,000 |
| Nando's sauces and rubs | 20 cents from selected products* sold between 30 October and 30 November 2024, with a maximum donation of $50,000 |
*A full list of participating products is available on www.coles.com.au/community
