The Kaivolution rescue crew with the help of expo staff picked up tonnes of food from Foodstuffs trade show in Hamilton to help people in need across the Waikato. Photo / Supplied
The Kaivolution rescue crew with the help of expo staff picked up tonnes of food from Foodstuffs trade show in Hamilton to help people in need across the Waikato. Photo / Supplied
Hamilton food rescue project Kaivolution had their biggest day ever last Thursday, when grocery distributor Foodstuffs donated 12 tonnes of surplus food from their trade expo at Claudelands.
Food banks and other charity groups from Thames to Te Kuiti are now "chocka" with many reporting it feels like Christmas because of the quality and quantity of the food.
Kaivolution, part of charitable trust Go Eco, collects food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to charities, food banks and community free stores.
Go Eco manager Jo Wrigley says: "It came all of a sudden. Originally, we were asked to collect one tonne of spare food, but the reality was far different and turned into our biggest ever day food rescue wise."
Normally, the charitable trust deals with four to five tonnes of food donations - in a month.
Amongst the goods: yoghurt, seafood, meat, frozen goods, fresh veges and fruit.
"We received the whole kit and caboodle, including nappies and grocery items. And pet food, which is quite unusual, because we are a charity for people."
Foodstuffs NZ head of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, Antoinette Laird says that every Foodstuffs Expo is planned with a food bank or food rescue recipient in mind who is able to take surplus product at the end of the event.
"We chose Go Eco this year because the organisation already has strong, ongoing relationships with local Hamilton stores and their support extends to smaller local community partners across the wider Waikato region."
Wrigley says it was an amazing day and fully out of the ordinary.
"It is very unusual for us to get frozens, seafood and yoghurt. We would occasionally get one or two packets of this rare food, but certainly not pallets. It felt really special being able to feed people with such a diverse range of food."
Usually, 60 per cent of Kaivolution's rescue food is white bread and milk.
Amongst the donated food were some special treats like salads, dips and yoghurt. Photo / Supplied
About 100 people were involved in distributing the surplus food to 29 organisations across the Waikato.
"We were handing food to networks from Thames to Te Kuiti. There was also some leftovers on the way to Huntly, but the truck broke down on the way."
The receiving organisations included Salvation Army, Thames Women's Refuge, Te Kuiti Community House, K'aute Pasifika and Tauwhare Marae, night shelters, Hamilton Combined Christian Food Bank (HCCFB) and several community centres.
After Kaivolution and all the other organisations were "chocka", the St Vincent de Paul food bank received what was left: six and a half tonnes.
Mary Ngaronga from Vinnies says: "It was a fantastic, but a very busy day for us. We received the call last minute, but we never say no to donations like this. And the Foodstuffs team was amazing, giving all this food to us and helping to load the vans."
It was the first time that Vinnies has received surplus food from the Foodstuffs expo.
"There were so many things we wouldn't usually get, like loads of yoghurt, dips, fresh veges and nice quality bread, so our families are in for a treat."
Vinnies is currently still busy handing the food out to the community - including Huntly and Ngaruawahia.
"They are loving the variety. We normally have the standard like milk and bread, but getting fresh tomatoes, lettuce, dips and cheese is like Christmas for them."
Mary says that it was a feel-good day that was rewarding for every party involved.
"Everyone wins from it somehow: The community in need and our volunteers."
Another charity who received some of the surplus from Foodstuffs was Mana Wahine, a community group of the Wahine Toa chapter from the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom.
Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom spokeswoman Louise Hutchinson says: "We were grateful to distribute the kai out to whānau who are in great need of support just like we did throughout Covid-19 last year."
The Foodstuffs National Expo is held every two years, but the 2021 expo was their largest ever. "We hosted more than 5000 attendees across two days. We had more than 300 supplier partners exhibiting, putting their products and innovations on display for New Zealand's vibrant FMCG industry," Laird says.
