Food rescue organisation Nourished for Nil is celebrating the opening of a new social supermarket in the Hawke’s Bay region, in partnership with Foodstuffs and other local food suppliers, to combat food waste in their local community. The new social supermarket offers locals who are struggling with the cost of food an opportunity to shop in a supermarket-style environment with dignity and choice. It operates on a point system instead of prices, where each visitor is given a base of 55 points to spend on products of their choice.

“Although, people can only access the store by agency referral at this stage, we’re very proud of to be able to provide additional support on top of our food depots. It is a significant step towards reducing food waste and improving access to nourishing food for local communities,” says Nourished by Nil founder, Christina McBeth.

Nourished for Nil collects and distributes imperfect food that is safe but doesn’t quite meet consumer standards as well as safe to consume leftovers donated by cafes, restaurants and major supermarkets which would have otherwise been thrown out. The collected food is made available to the community to support those struggling with increased living costs while addressing climate change locally by capturing food waste and stopping it from ending up in landfill.

Since opening its doors in 2017, the charity organisation has served food to over 1,300 households weekly with a force of 80 volunteers and six staff working across four venues; supported in their work by funding from the Lottery Grants Board through funds raised by Lotto NZ. Just in the past year, Nourished for Nil served over 40,000 families from one of their depots and gave out over 900 tonnes of food. The charity has not only established an extensive network that enhances food security within the wider community but has also fostered social inclusion by creating a vibrant community of volunteers and helpers.

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