New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) is working with the kiwifruit industry and partnering packhouses to help feed communities in need.
Demand for healthy food in vulnerable regions of New Zealand is growing rapidly. In 2024, NZFN and its packhouse partners redistributed 160 tonnes of kiwifruit to the community. This year, NZFN is partnering with Zespri, a marketer of kiwifruit, and a nationwide network of packhouses to increase access to healthy foods and reduce food waste.
“Fresh produce must pass through many hoops before it ends up on the supermarket shelves, such as needing to last long export journeys, or meeting quality standards – meaning some of the annual harvest doesn’t make the cut but is still good to eat,” said NZFN chief executive Gavin Findlay.
“With the help of our network of incredible organisations, we’re making sure that it’s going towards nourishing Kiwis who need it most.”
The rescue effort began in April 2025 with kiwifruit distributed to more than 80 organisations across the country. Approximately 150 bins of kiwifruit were processed. Moreover, golden kiwifruit processing and distribution is currently underway.
Zespri is NZFN’s long-time partner supporting the rescue efforts.
“Our focus is always on getting as much of our growers’ fruit to market as possible but we’re proud to work with NZFN to ensure that fresh and healthy kiwifruit which doesn’t quite meet our export standards but is still delicious and safe to eat, reaches those in need and makes a positive impact on our communities,” said Zespri’s head of global public affairs Michael Fox.
NZFN accepts bulk surplus and donated food from producers, growers and manufacturers, while redistributing to more than 60 food hubs.