KiwiHarvest

08/06/2026

Food is about so much more than nutrition. It builds confidence, independence and connection. We are proud to support initiatives like this, where rescued food becomes a tool for learning life skills and creating opportunities for people with disabilities. Seeing food used in ways that empower people and strengthen communities is exactly the kind of impact KiwiHarvest exists to make possible.

Students with disabilities in Invercargill now have their own supermarket to master real-world skills. Front-Line Training has opened a Mini Woolies site — a fully functional replica supermarket complete with fresh food sections, grocery shelves, working registers and Woolworths uniforms. The prog...

03/06/2026

While KiwiHarvest is best known for rescuing and redistributing good food, sometimes we also receive essential non-food items that can make a huge difference in people’s lives, especially during winter 💙

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Briscoes and the New Zealand Food Network, KiwiHarvest Dunedin has received a donation of Amazing Cuddle Down faux mink blankets, arriving just in time for the colder months ahead.

The first batch has now been collected by Otepoti-Dunedin Women’s Refuge to help bring warmth, comfort, and a little extra care to the families and individuals they support. The team from Women’s Refuge was absolutely over the moon with them, and it’s easy to see why.

Support like this makes a real difference, helping people feel safe, cosy, and cared for when they need it most. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this possible 💫

02/06/2026

When rescued food becomes the foundation for a community 💚

At Green Space Collective on Auckland’s North Shore, KiwiHarvest’s rescued food is doing far more than filling cupboards; it’s bringing neighbours together and creating a true sense of belonging.

Every week, 250–300kg of rescued food is shared with residents through a community-led initiative run by dedicated volunteers and customer champions who care deeply about their neighbours.

What started with a few donated essentials has grown into a space where people gather not only for food, but for connection. Residents stay for a coffee, a chat, and the chance to build friendships with people they once passed by as strangers.

“Food rescue is the cornerstone of this,” says volunteer Kevin. “We came together as strangers and built trust.”

From shared meals to everyday conversations, this initiative is proof that rescued food does more than nourish people; it helps build stronger, more connected communities 🌱

02/06/2026

Food support can make a world of difference, especially for students facing hardship 💚

Since August 2017, KiwiHarvest has delivered more than 15,120kg of rescued food to Massey University Chaplaincy, the equivalent of over 33,600 meals for students and staff needing extra support.

Massey University Chaplaincy provides a safe, welcoming space for people of all faiths and backgrounds, offering emotional, spiritual, and wellbeing support to students navigating the challenges of study and life away from home.

For many students, including international students and those experiencing financial hardship, access to good food can ease stress and provide comfort during difficult times. Last week, students and chaplaincy staff also put on a special lunch to celebrate KiwiHarvest’s 4 ’N 20 Million milestone, a beautiful moment of gratitude, connection, and community, made possible through this ongoing partnership.

Through this relationship, rescued food helps support not only physical wellbeing, but also a stronger sense of belonging within the university community.

This is the impact of food rescue, nourishing people, supporting wellbeing, and helping communities thrive 🌱

28/05/2026

You might be wondering… what happens to rescued cabbage? 🥬💚

Recently, KiwiHarvest delivered pre-chopped cabbage to our charity partner, Communities Feeding Communities – Presbyterian Support Northern’s food support service. But instead of simply distributing it, their incredible team turned it into something much more valuable.

Together, volunteers rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on sauerkraut-making project, transforming rescued cabbage into a nutritious, long-lasting food that’s packed with flavour and goodness. For many, it was their first time making sauerkraut, and the day was filled with learning, laughter, and connection as everyone mixed, massaged, tasted, and created together.

By preserving the cabbage this way, they didn’t just extend the life of rescued food; they increased its value, created something delicious, and ensured it could continue nourishing the community for longer.

This is the power of food rescue. It’s not only about preventing good food from going to waste; it’s about creating opportunities, building skills, strengthening connections, and making every ingredient count.

A huge thank you to the amazing team at Communities Feeding Communities for turning rescued food into something truly special. ✨

26/05/2026

Every week, Community Kai Days at the Whaanau Resource Centre bring more than 50 whānau together around a shared table. 💚

Thanks to KiwiHarvest’s food rescue support, there is fresh, nutritious kai available for families, kaumātua, and caregivers who may be feeling the pressure of rising living costs.

One wahine shared:
“It allows me to cook kai and live for the week.”

Another told the team:
“You guys are angels, thank you so much for what you do.”

The impact goes far beyond food. Having reliable access to kai helps ease pressure on household budgets, creates space for connection and manaakitanga, and ensures everyone who walks through the door is welcomed with dignity and care.

From fresh fruit and vegetables to pantry staples, rescued food is helping support and strengthen the wider hapori.

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25/05/2026

Last week we celebrated an incredible milestone at our 4 n' 20 lunch at our Highbrook Warehouse.

In the last year, we rescued a record breaking 4 million kilograms of good food, and since launching in 2012 we have now rescued and redistributed more than 20 million kilograms across Aotearoa.

What made today special was bringing together the people who make this possible. Our food donors, charity partners, volunteers, supporters and the KiwiHarvest Chef Collective who transformed rescued ingredients into classic Kiwi favourites; Mince Pies and Jaffa Brownies.

Huge thanks to chefs Peter Gordon, Alfie Ingham, Brent Martin, Scottie Hansen, and the Park Hyatt Auckland for helping create a lunch that celebrated both Kiwi ingenuity and community generosity.

And a big thanks to our key partners and supporters who spoke at the event, Suneil Connor (KiwiHarvest Board Member), Evan Sanders from Goodman, Gordon Harcourt from Woolworths New Zealand and Phylis Latu from Maranga Fanau.

While this milestone is worth celebrating, it also reflects a growing reality. Demand for food support continues to rise across New Zealand, and food rescue is becoming an increasingly important part of supporting communities while reducing waste and emissions.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this impact possible. Together, we are ensuring more good food reaches people struggling with food insecurity.

22/05/2026

Last night KiwiHarvest featured in the lead news story on ThreeNews discussing the impact rising rental costs are having on households across New Zealand.

Our CEO Angela Calver spoke about the increasing demand we are seeing for food support, and the reality that when housing costs rise, food budgets are often the first thing squeezed. For many families, any increase in rent can mean harder choices at the supermarket.

At the same time, more than 240 million kilograms of good food goes to waste in New Zealand every year. Food rescue is a practical, immediate and cost-effective way to support communities while reducing waste.

The story highlighted the impact of KiwiHarvest, with $100 enabling KiwiHarvest to rescue and redistribute a significant amount of good food to people who need it most.

As demand continues to grow, so does the need for support that help keep good food flowing to communities in need rather than going to waste.

21/05/2026

We’re starting to see our latest campaign appear across Auckland, and it’s pretty special seeing this campaign out in the wild. 💚

This campaign is all about building awareness of food rescue and helping more people understand what KiwiHarvest does: rescuing good surplus food and redirecting it to communities who need it most.

Every rescued meal means good food stays out of landfill and reaches whānau instead.

Huge thanks to JCDecux for their ongoing support and for partnering with us to help share this message across Tāmaki Makaurau. Together, we’re helping grow awareness of food rescue and the positive impact it can have for both people and the planet.