New Zealanders shouldn’t go hungry at Christmas.  We want to help feed 15,000 Kiwis this Christmas through an appeal that drives donations to the New Zealand Food Network – a new charity that manages distribution of food to more than 650 charities and other frontline organisations across the country.

Anchor strives to make the world a little bit better, every day, evident through initiatives such as our recent trial of plant-based packaging, transitioning a range of our milks to carbon zero, and the KickStart Breakfast free opportunity in schools.  According to public health statistics, one in five New Zealanders will struggle this Christmas time and many frontline charities are predicting an unprecedented level of demand for support.

NZ Food Network is a new charity set up with the help of The Ministry of Social Development, of which Fonterra is a founding corporate member.  The NZ Food Network is uniquely positioned to significantly increase the amount of food available for communities in need  – getting it to where it is needed most, right across the length and breadth of New Zealand.  Therefore, donations to the appeal will go towards a charity capable of ensuring more than 650 charities, community groups, and low-decile schools receive the support they desperately need, especially in these trying times.  

Our goal is to help feed 15,000 New Zealanders this Christmas time. Help us to help our fellow New Zealanders by donating to the appeal at nzfoodnetwork.org.nz/christmasappeal.

Anchor has donated $100,000 retail value in fresh New Zealand dairy products including milk, cream, cheese, custard and butter to kickstart the appeal – and we are working hard, alongside New Zealand Food Network to launch their first-ever public campaign, helping to establish a long-term benefit for the organisation.

You can make a monetary donation of any amount on the NZ Food Network fundraising webpage, nzfoodnetwork.org.nz/christmasappeal. You can also spread the word to your friends, whānau and wider network so they too can donate.

Your money goes directly to NZ Food Network to help fund their creation of food hampers and distribution to families across the country.  100% of the funds go directly to NZ Food Network, for the creation, packing and delivery of food hampers this Christmas time. 

No.

The NZ Food Network is one of New Zealand’s newest food charities, founded in May 2020 by Deborah Manning, founder of food rescue organisation KiwiHarvest, with the aim of delivering food security to charities across the country. NZ Food Network acts as a distributor of fresh, nutritious food to more than 650 charities across the full length of New Zealand.

According to NZ Food Network in October 2019, a staggering half a million Kiwis were living without reliable, daily access to affordable and nutritious food. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to unfold, this figure is estimated to rise as high as 1 million.  Despite generous food donations from food businesses supporting the many food hubs (food rescue organisations, iwi, foodbanks, and charities) across the country, a massive 103,000 tonnes of edible food still ends up as waste every year. Yet people and communities remain in need. New Zealand Food Network was recently established, backed by the Ministry of Social Development, to urgently address this growing issue of food poverty in New Zealand.

Yes, Fonterra is one of the founding corporate members of NZ Food Network, therefore we already have an ongoing relationship that will continue to be fostered.

Yes, NZ Food Network has made a significant impact, even before its first year of operation is complete.   In the first three months alone, the NZ Food Network distributed 532,000kgs of food to its partnering food hubs that then go on to distribute the food to their frontline agencies.  This was equivalent to 1,520,700 meals delivered to people in need.

NZ Food Network is well equipped to benefit thousands of Kiwis – via hundreds of charities - from a singular hub.  It acts as a distributor of food to fellow charities throughout the country, with 650 recipient frontline organisations, from City Mission to Salvation Army to Women’s Refugee. 

Acting as a centralised distribution point, NZ Food Network gets food to where it’s needed most by providing an easy to use, efficient, bulk supply chain between donor organisations and food hubs. NZ Food Network bridges the gap between bulk supply and demand – efficiently and safely capturing, then redistributing, surplus and donated food nationally.  NZ Food Network repackages bulk foods into more balanced food support packages and, working with transport providers around the country, facilitates the distribution of donated food.

NZ Food Network distributes a range of ambient, chilled, and frozen food. For most food hubs, NZ Food Networks sends mixed pallets including but not limited to fresh produce, breakfast food, UHT milk, frozen meat, yoghurts, snack food, and/or plant-based alternatives.

The food hampers will consist of a wide array of items including fresh fruits and vegetables, a Christmas ham, canned goods, pasta and rice, Weet-Bix, treats and desserts, as well as fresh milk and cream, butter, custard, and cheese, with enough food to feed a typical family of two adults and two children.

NZ Food Network is managing the distribution of these food hampers that will reach towns large and small throughout New Zealand. NZ Food Network is in touch with where help is most needed and will spread the hampers as far as possible.

Food hampers will be delivered from December 21^st 2020.

NZ Food Network is managing the sourcing of food supplementary to Anchor products, packing, and distribution of these food hampers. Fonterra staff will also be assisting with packing of the hampers, and two Anchor trucks will help with the deliveries.

Yes, being an existing food charity, NZ Food Network has high control measures already in place. The food hampers will provide balanced and nourishing ingredients, as well as some festive treats.

Recipients do not sign up for, or request, a food hamper – we are simply aiming to help feed 15,000 New Zealanders this Christmas time by driving donations to the NZ Food Network.

There is a plethora of worthy food charities in New Zealand that benefit New Zealanders across the country. It is our hope that this Christmas appeal will help raise awareness of food poverty during this time, and we encourage New Zealanders to be kind and give where possible, as every little bit counts.