The New Zealand Food Network (NZFN), alongside its dedicated partners and volunteers, has successfully rescued seven
tonnes (16 bins) of edible kiwifruit. This initiative was made possible after Fletcher Living alerted them about a
substantial crop of kiwifruit ready for harvest and distribution to the community.
While planning the development of their Riverhead site, Fletcher Living faced the challenge of what to do with acres of
edible and nutritious kiwifruit. Seeking a sustainable solution that would avoid waste, they reached out to NZFN for
help.NZFN & Fletcher Building Kiwifruit (Photo/Supplied)
As Aotearoa’s largest not-for-profit food supply and distribution organisation, NZFN moved quickly to find an efficient
and safe way to clear the kiwifruit. They enlisted the help of Punchbowl PackCo Ltd, an existing food donor and
kiwifruit expert, who generously provided all necessary equipment, staff resource, and health and safety guidance at no
cost.
A team of volunteers, including representatives from NZFN Food Hubs, Fair Food and Grace Foundation, as well as McCain
Foods, Fletcher Living and NZFN staff all joined forces to pick and clear the kiwifruit, which was then transported to
NZFN's warehouse in Penrose. The kiwifruit were sorted, packed into boxes, and distributed to NZFN’s Auckland based Food
Hubs to ensure the fresh produce reached those who needed it most.
With everyone coming together to prevent these perfectly good kiwifruit fruit from going to waste, this initiative
exemplifies the power of community and corporate collaboration to address food waste.
NZFN is dedicated to eliminating food waste and ensuring that all New Zealanders have access to nutritious food, with
corporate and community partnerships like this being a critical element of their operations. Thanks to their
connections, NZFN is able to respond rapidly to calls, like that of Fletcher Living, to ensure no good food goes to
waste.
Gavin Findlay, CEO of NZFN, says, "This collaboration is a shining example of how communities and businesses can come
together to address critical issues like food waste and food insecurity. Rescuing this fruit not only prevents perfectly
good food from being wasted, but also distributes fresh, nutritious produce to those in need. We’re thankful to Fletcher
Living for turning to us for support – it's a win-win situation that shows what can be achieved when we work together."
Kelsey Bergin, Development Manager from Fletcher Living, says, “Giving back to the community is a core part of our
Fletcher Living culture. Knowing we needed to clear the kiwifruit from our site, we saw an opportunity to support others
who might be struggling right now, instead of letting the fruit go to waste.
“NZFN was a great partner for this project. They quickly found a solution that was sustainable and would benefit the
community. Even with the best intentions, we couldn’t have picked that amount of fruit on our own so we really encourage
other businesses to work with NZFN if they can," adds Bergin.