Palmerston North food rescuer Just Zilch needs bigger premises

Just Zilch has had zero success finding much-needed bigger premises. Photo / Judith Lacy

Palmerston North free store and food hub Just Zilch is renewing its search for bigger premises.

Manawatū Business Chamber has put out feelers on its behalf - as have real estate agents and Palmy Bid - but to no avail.

Just Zilch wants to revert to supermarket-style delivery rather than customers lining up to receive a tray of free food. To do this it needs more space.

The premises need to be central, near a bus route and, ideally, at least 500sq m so the charity can have some storage and the shop on the same site, managing director Rebecca Culver says.

The site needs to have truck access and ideally parking for customers, volunteers and staff.

Just Zilch has funding to pay commercial rent if required and money for a fit-out.

Culver is aware of comments that Just Zilch needs a more private place than busy Featherston St but that is not a motivator for her.

“I don’t want to hide what we are doing, I think it’s important people can be seen.”

Customers should not have to feel they need to “sneak in”, Culver says.

“Having Just Zilch in our community is not something we should be ashamed of, in fact, quite the opposite.”

Just Zilch is near one of Palmerston North’s busiest intersections, next to a shopping centre and opposite a high school.

Just Zilch’s rescued food is not means tested - it is for anyone.

Just Zilch managing director Rebecca Culver outside the free store in 2021. The space customers used to be able to browse in is now used for storage. Photo / Judith Lacy

The need for free food continues to grow as people struggle to make ends meet and the premises are no longer suitable for the number of people and community groups Just Zilch is serving, she says.

In March 2023, Just Zilch served an average of 306 people a day. In April, that increased to an average of 320 people a day.

In March, it rescued 59,933.7kg of food - that’s the equivalent of 114,321.5 meals.

Rescued food not only feeds people but is good for the environment.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report 2021, people globally waste 1 billion tonnes of food each year. A staggering one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted.

Love Food Hate Waste New Zealand says if food waste was a country, it would be third behind the US and China in terms of carbon emissions.

Manawatū Business Chamber chief executive Amanda Linsley says the need for free food is growing and the cost-of-living crisis does and can affect anyone.

If you know of a suitable building, email Rebecca Culver at rebecca@justzilch.org.nz.