Hohepa Shop crossing boundaries

Inside Hohepa Shop in Taradale, from left, Ange Tremain, Jen Cho, William Askew and Santiago De Marco. Photo/Warren Buckland

There’s a cool little community hub in the centre of Taradale.

However, there’s a lot more to this space than a place to gather.

There’s fresh, organic food, crafts and native plants all grown and made right here in Hawke’s Bay.

Yes, Hohepa Shop is ticking along very nicely since it opened just before Christmas in 2022.

The day I visited it was a hive of activity with fresh produce still dripping in dew from the morning harvest coming in the back door and being unpacked onto shelves full of goodness.

Locals will know this is not the first Hohepa shop. The first is tucked away in Clive. The move into Taradale is part of Hohepa’s managed retreat.

General manager Santiago De Marco says the new shop is part of the “courage investing in the story of Hohepa for the next 100 years”.

“We have been building and buying houses in the area, that along with the shop, is part of bringing ourselves into the community,” he said.

Outside the Hohepa Shop proudly sits a painted apple, which was part of the Big Apple Project and was painted by students at Hohepa School. Photo/Warren Buckland

“We want to be part of a community with no boundaries and build the Hohepa story.”

He said the response from the people in Taradale and the wider region has been amazing.

Santiago started at Hohepa 24 years ago.

“I came here from Argentina and fell in love with Hohepa and Hawke’s Bay and never left. My wife is Brazilian and our first child was born in Brazil. The second and third were born here.”

Outside the shop, at 260 Gloucester St, proudly sits a painted apple, which was part of the Big Apple Project that saw artists across Hawke’s Bay paint large fibreglass apples which were then auctioned off and the funds shared between the artists and Arts Inc. Heretaunga.

The students at Hohepa School painted their apple and they chose to keep it. It is the perfect landmark for the shop.

Inside the shop the first thing that caught my eye was the bright colours of the produce, then I spied the cheese. Hohepa Cheese is outstanding and has a fantastic reputation. It has won many awards over the years.

There’s also fresh milk from Hohepa Farm. You can even bring in a glass bottle and get it filled.

There are a few products not made at Hohepa however, “they share the same values as us”, Santiago said. “Including sustainability, celebrating the empowerment of humans and community wellbeing.

“Hohepa Shop is also breaching barriers. People from Hohepa work here. They want to be a part of it and it means they are engaging with the community and the community is engaging with them. They participate and contribute to our region.

Some of the delicious, fresh and locally grown produce available at Hohepa Shop in Taradale. Photo / Warren Buckland

“It’s just awesome to lift the awareness of Hohepa and we have been welcomed by locals and businesses.”

Customer experience manager Jen Cho says customers are loving the freshly cut produce.

“Our native trees have also been really popular,” Jen said.

Santiago says Hohepa’s key message is that everything they do focuses on ensuring the “people we support have a life fully lived while at the same time adding value to our local community”.

Hohepa is hosting an open day in Clive today. For more information on this and Hohepa go to https://www.hohepahawkesbay.com

The Hohepa Shop is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.