Dan Weaver, of Weaver Food Group, and Debbie Stowe, of Olive & Ash, are excited about increasing the manufacturing of Vince in Whangārei. Photo / Denise Piper
Dan Weaver, of Weaver Food Group, and Debbie Stowe, of Olive & Ash, are excited about increasing the manufacturing of Vince in Whangārei. Photo / Denise Piper
A new partnership between an award-winning vege mince product and a Whangārei food manufacturer is helping Kiwis eat more Northland vegetables each day.
The union also means Vince vege mince can keep expanding to national and international markets.
Onerahi chef Debbie Stowe first created Vince in 2019, after struggling to find convenient, healthy, gluten-free and dairy-free products to meet her daughter’s dietary needs.
While many other pantry products were ultra-processed, the vegetables that went into Vince were slow-dried to help retain taste and nutrition, she said.
Vince not only has a coveted five-star health rating, it has won a host of awards, including the New World Small Supplier Category at the 2022 FoodStarter awards run by Foodstuffs.
With the Foodstuff award offering potential sales in New World stores nationwide, Stowe has been working hard to grow the business under company Olive & Ash.
Though Stowe knew she couldn’t keep making packets of Vince herself, she struggled to find a manufacturer to meet the niche needs of the small but growing company.
With limited options, she started working with a contract manufacturer in Christchurch last year, but kept looking for a local company to meet her needs.
A mutual friend introduced Stowe to Dan Weaver, of Weaver Food Group, a Whangārei business that produces finished meals for schools and early childhood centres, and makes meal components.
The fact Weaver Food Group did not already have a food dehydrator was no barrier because Weaver was quick to buy a specialised, New Zealand-made Rexmoi dehydrator and start making high-quality Vince production.
She said she was able to source local vegetables for Vince vege mince, helping give Northland growers a market for their goods no matter how odd their shape or size.
Weaver Food Group production manager Megan Collecut gives a seal of approval to the Vince vege mince pouches manufactured in the Whangārei kitchen. Photo / Denise Piper
Stowe said the best thing about Weaver Food Group was its willingness to scale up and increase production as national distribution and exports grew.
“We haven’t had that certainty in the past that it [the manufacturing] can keep expanding.”
Weaver said it was exciting to be involved in growing the Vince brand and the more Vince grew, the more his own company could grow.
“We said grow it to the moon and back, we’re happy: it’s a win-win for us.”
In November, Stowe was named one of six New Zealand 2024 Ventures, which has her supported with an interest-free loan for five years, plus mentoring and international connections.
Fellow Northlander Jade Kake, of Matakohe Architecture, is also one of the 2024 Ventures, or successful applicants, who are helped by a network of hundreds of financial supporters.
Her goal is to improve good health and wellbeing, particularly in children, by helping people eat more vegetables.
“Only 4% of kids in New Zealand are getting enough vegetables every day ... Vince is not replacing veges, it’s just increasing the amount of vegetables on the plate.”
Stowe said the loan would help her grow Vince without having to give away further equity in the business.
The money will be used on sales and marketing, to raise the brand presence in New Zealand, and testing export markets like Australia and Taiwan.
Vince already exports in small numbers to Japan and Stowe is working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to find more retailers.
“In places like Japan, the New Zealand name pulls a premium – we can really use that to our advantage.”
The Northern Advocate has five three-packs of Vince vege mince to give away to readers. Send your name and contact details with ‘Vince’ in the subject line to regionalcompetitions@nzme.co.nz by .
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
