Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance is proudly working with Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective, New Zealand Food Network and Ministry of Social Development to help build the capacity and capability of foodbanks, food rescue and community food services and prevent further shocks to food security in New Zealand.
Yesterday Nourished for Nil opened their second Social Supermarket in partnership with Foodstuffs North Island Limited.
Nourished for Nil started life as a Food Rescue organisation and free store operating in Napier and Hastings. They have since added foodbanks and now social super markets to their repertoire and deliver service to numerous communities in Hawkes Bay.
Food Rescue is still the core of their work and how they feed the overwhelming majority of people who come to them but having multiple channels means they can meet the needs of people experiencing a much greater variety of needs.
Foodstuffs North Island Limited and their member stores work with Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance members all across the island to help support their local communities. It’s a truely valuable partnership.
Chris Quin | Willa Hand | Sandy Botterill | Jenny Marshall | Katie Nimon | Sandra Hazlehurst
We’re loving the latest issue of F+B Tech Magazine. It's packed with insights, including shining a massive light on food rescue! 🙌
It features our GM, Iain Lees-Galloway, on why cutting food waste is a win-win for hospitality and dives into our call for all supermarkets to partner with food rescue organisations.
There are also great reads from South Kaipara Good Food’s Gemma Donaldson and a feature on KiwiHarvest – awesome to see so many of our members and kaupapa in the spotlight.
Link to the issue in the comments 👇
#FoodRescue#Hospitality#Sustainability#AFRA#FeedPeopleNotLandfill#FoodWaste#Supermarkets
This week, our member, The Hub Te Puke, brought together an incredible crew of volunteers to harvest fresh kiwifruit straight from the orchard at Plant & Food Research in Te Puke.
This fruit wasn’t going to be picked, but thanks to shared effort, it’s now on its way to people who need it.
This is what's known as a second harvest: saving high-quality produce before it goes to waste on farms, orchards, or gardens. Globally, a huge amount of fruit and veg is lost at this early stage. By stepping in sooner, we can get more nutritious kai to communities and cut waste.
AFRA is proud to be leading work to grow Second Harvest across Aotearoa. Thanks to our partners at Plant & Food Research and the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre for backing this kaupapa and helping show what’s possible.
There’s nothing like the power of collaboration to tackle food waste and food insecurity at the same time.
I joined a fantastic group of volunteers, organised by The Hub Te Puke, an Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance member, to harvest kiwifruit at The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited’s Te Puke site.
This fruit would not normally have been harvested — but thanks to the collective effort, it will now be distributed by The Hub Te Puke to people in need in their community. We call the rescue of food from the producer Second Harvest.
Globally, around 13–15% of food is lost at the production stage, before it even leaves the farm, orchard, or garden. Initiatives like this show the untapped potential of Second Harvest — rescuing surplus directly from growers to feed people and reduce waste.
AFRA is proud to be coordinating the scale-up of Second Harvest activities across Aotearoa, unlocking more of this hidden supply to nourish our communities and build a more sustainable food system.
A huge shout out to Plant & Food Research and the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre not only for letting us collect their fruit but for also helping build the case for Second Harvest.
We’re just getting started!
#FoodRescue#SecondHarvest#Sustainability#FoodSecurity#FoodWaste#CommunityImpact#Collaboration#AFRA#TheHubTePuke#PlantAndFoodResearch#Leadership#SocialImpactRoger Robson-Williams PhD | Scott Nicholson
Love this initiative from our awesome member, Fair Food NZ. Tamariki learning to cook with rescued kai. Such a meaningful, hands-on way to support the community.
🥝General Manager at Fair Food
🏆Top 50 Women in Food and Drink NZ
The school lunch programme is woefully inadequate for our West Auckland tamariki. Rather than wait for things to improve, we’re bringing the kids to the Fair Food NZ kai tables to learn how to cater for their school using rescued food. Today we were joined by Master Chef winner (and Henderson Intermediate grad) Sam Low 🤩. He shared how his roots and culture are what grounds him, which is powerful korero for our kids. Thanks to Jo Bridgford who is always making room at the table for our community, and to Dale, Shanah, and Mandy for helping lead this programme. This compassion and drive is what fills me with hope.
Let’s work together to ensure quality surplus food feeds people—not landfills. We think that should include every major food retailer and supplier having a food rescue partner. Read more in FMCG Business linked below:
Every major food retailer and supplier should be required to have a food rescue partner and to contribute to the cost of rescuing surplus food.
In the coming year Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance members will need around $13 million to run their food rescue operations.
If 1/3 comes from government, 1/3 comes from business, and 1/3 comes from trusts, foundations and other donations, that’s just $4.3 million from the whole food industry.
Pocket change to get a powerful economic, environmental, and social return on investment.
“We would like food rescue to be a mandatory part of running a supermarket business or any food business in New Zealand so that surplus food that's still good gets repurposed to feed people in need rather than ending up in the bin,” – Iain Lees-Galloway, AFRA GM.
With the government’s latest supermarket announcement, now is the time to make food rescue a core part of our food system. Read more in Iain Lees-Galloway’s interview in The Post:
https://lnkd.in/gzZ7ZB_N
To create a fairer, more sustainable food system, we’re calling on the Government to:
✔ Require supermarkets to partner with food rescue organisations
✔ Ensure they contribute funding to food rescue efforts
Every year, our members rescue millions of meals' worth of surplus food, keeping good food out of landfill and feeding communities.
Food rescue works—let’s make it part of the system.
🛒 The Government is shaking up the supermarket sector. Let’s make sure it nourishes more than just competition.
Today’s announcement about potential structural reform of New Zealand’s grocery market is a big deal—and a big opportunity.
At the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, we’re calling on the Government to go further:
👉 Require supermarkets and major food businesses to partner with food rescue organisations
👉 Require them to contribute funding to food rescue efforts
https://lnkd.in/gKPe88zb
Every year, our members rescue more and more food. Last year, it was over 7.1 million kilograms, (over 15 million meals) redistributing it to communities in need and keeping it out of landfill. That’s a triple win: 💚 people, 💚 planet, 💚 economy.
We’ve proven that food rescue works.
Now it’s time to embed it into the future of New Zealand’s food system.
📢 Let’s build a grocery sector that works for all of us.
#FoodRescue#FoodWaste#Sustainability#GroceryReform#AFRA#NZPol#SocialImpact#CircularEconomy#ClimateAction#FairerFoodSystemNicola Willis MP | Christopher Luxon | Louise Upston | Chris Hipkins | Carmel Sepuloni
The Government is shaking up the supermarket sector—let’s make sure the benefits go beyond just competition.
Today’s announcement on potential structural reform of New Zealand’s grocery market is a significant step, and a major opportunity.
At the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, we’re calling on the Government to go further:
✔ Require supermarkets and major food businesses to partner with food rescue organisations
✔ Require them to contribute funding to food rescue efforts
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gKPe88zb
Every year, our members rescue and redistribute more surplus food. Last year alone, they saved over 7.1 million kilograms—more than 15 million meals—keeping good food out of landfill and getting it to people who need it. That’s a triple win for people, the planet, and the economy.
Food rescue works. Now it’s time to embed it into the future of New Zealand’s food system. Let’s build a grocery sector that works for everyone.
#FoodRescue#FoodWaste#Sustainability#GroceryReform#AFRA#NZPol#SocialImpact#CircularEconomy#ClimateAction#FairerFoodSystem
Every bit counts. Every volunteer hour and every food donation at every one of our 36 members across Aotearoa plays a crucial role.
From Northland to Southland, our members are on the ground, rescuing good food and getting it to those who need it most. Collectively, they rescue over 5 tonnes of food a day—food that would otherwise go to waste, but instead nourishes whānau in need.
Over a year? That adds up to a massive 7.1 million kg of food saved to be shared.
The impact goes beyond nourishment. For every $1 invested in food rescue, Aotearoa sees a $4.50 return—delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits.
✅ Investing in food rescue is investing in our future. But we can’t do it alone. We need baseline government funding in Budget 2025 to support this vital mahi.
Check out the map to find your local member. Read more about them here: https://lnkd.in/gau3u8JA
Huge congratulations to Deborah Manning on being named the Genesis New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year! Thank you for all you have done to help shape and strengthen food rescue in Aotearoa.
Founder & Strategic Advisor KiwiHarvest & New Zealand Food Network I Trustee NZ Food Waste Champions I MInst I Trustee Food Equity & Education Dunedin (FEED) I 2025 NZ Sustainability Leader of the Year
