Starting in August 2026, over 200 schools in Puebla will swap out junk food for nutritious snacks made by local producers under the “Puebla 5 de Mayo” brand. This initiative, led by the Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico in coordination with the SEP and the Secretaría de Salud, aims to promote healthier eating habits among students while supporting regional cooperatives and small businesses.

Víctor Gabriel Chedraui, head of the economic development department, announced that the program will launch as a pilot in key primary schools and educational centers across the state. The goal is clear: eliminate ultraprocessed foods from school cooperatives and replace them with nutritious, locally made alternatives that meet official health standards.

Students in participating public schools will have access to a variety of products such as artisanal cereal bars, natural peanuts, and healthy snacks—all professionally developed and certified to comply with current nutritional regulations. This approach not only prioritizes student health but also strengthens Puebla’s local economy by spotlighting 56 municipalities involved in the project.

On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, during the closing of the “Vida Saludable y Feliz” School Health Days event in Mexico City, Puebla’s Secretary of Education, Manuel Viveros Narciso, formally presented the program’s guidelines and product samples to the federal Secretary of Public Education, Mario Delgado Carrillo. This presentation aims to showcase the operational viability of the model and encourage its adoption nationwide.

Víctor Gabriel Chedraui emphasized the institutional coordination and health committee approvals that allow these products to enter classrooms starting with the new school year in August: “From August, all or the main primary schools and educational centers will have Puebla Cinco de Mayo products approved by the SEP. We are removing junk food and promoting Puebla Cinco de Mayo products, like the bars.”

To ensure food safety, the state agency subjected all products to rigorous technical certification. Cooperatives received expert support to develop nutritional tables, barcodes, and packaging designs authorized through agreements with specialized graphic design chambers.

Currently, the “Puebla 5 de Mayo” brand catalog includes 499 products with the official seal and 13 fully validated under the commercial brand. Beyond improving student nutrition, this program acts as an economic engine for small producers, aligning public health goals with inclusive economic development.

This initiative reflects a growing trend toward sustainable, community-based solutions in public education and nutrition—an approach that could inspire similar programs across Mexico and beyond.