Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance

At our recent National Hui, we were privileged to have Dr Madeline Shelling deliver our keynote address. Madeline has recently completed her PhD under Te Kupenga Hauora Māori at the University of Auckland. Her topic of her research was, “Kai security, A Kaupapa Māori critique and reconceptualisation of food security and food sovereignty definitions and assessment frameworks in Aotearoa.” Madeline challenged us to re-think our concepts of kai security. Sharing a copy of questions from a Government survey about food security, she demonstrated that the Western view of food security is about having enough money to buy food as a commodity. However for many communities, especially remote Māori communities, kai security is about having access to sources of kai and that often that means being part of a community of fishers, hunters, growers, divers, and farmers who each do their bit to supply kai to those around them while receiving what they need. Madeline offered this definition: "Kai security requires unimpeded, equitable access to traditional resources, spaces, values and practices, facilitating the full expression of rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga across all aspects of the kai system." She certainly laid down the wero to everyone in the room, from food producers to retailers to rescuers to think about how what we are doing now will or won't lead to greater kai security for whānau and communities in the future and to grapple with the challenge for tangata tiriti to decolonise food systems and for opportunities to be created for tangata whenua to re-indigenise kai. Thank you Madeline for a thought provoking and challenging kōrero. Your depth of knowledge and passion for kai security sparked conversations that lasted throughout the hui and will significantly influence the work we have ahead of us. 

🌟 AFRA National Hui 2024 – Better Together! 🌟 We’ve just wrapped up an incredible couple of days in Tāmaki Makaurau at the AFRA National Hui 2024, and we couldn’t be more grateful to our amazing food rescue whānau. This year's theme, "Better Together," truly came to life as we connected, shared, and learned alongside dedicated food rescue champions from across Aotearoa. A heartfelt thank you to all our members—you are a diverse, passionate, and inspiring group, and the energy and insights you brought to every kōrero were a powerful reminder of the strength we have when we come together. Events like this are only possible thanks to the generous support of our partners. We are deeply grateful to Woolworths New Zealand, who have been with us since day one, helping us bring food rescuers together and supporting our shared vision. This year, we also welcomed Fonterra as a valued partner, whose support added an extra layer of richness to our hui experience. Your belief in our kaupapa makes a real difference—thank you. We were honoured to hear from a remarkable lineup of speakers, including Hon Louise Upston, Minister for Social Development and Employment. It was fantastic to hear her acknowledge our collective achievements, highlighting that AFRA members rescued over 7.4 million kg of surplus kai and distributed 9.8 million kg of quality food into our communities in the past year. Together, our members are making a significant impact. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this hui so special. Your commitment, passion, and belief in being "Better Together" drive our mission forward every day. Ngā mihi nui to you all!

🌟 Introducing our new board members 🌟 Yesterday at our Annual General Meeting, held as part of AFRA's Hui, we celebrated our vibrant community and shared in discussions that are shaping the future of food rescue in Aotearoa, thanks to generous support from Woolworths New Zealand. We also had the important task of electing five new members to our board. A heartfelt thank you to our outgoing board members for their incredible contributions: Rebecca Culver, Christina McBeth, who stepped in when needed, and especially our Chair, Stuart Ennor. Stu has been an exceptional leader, guiding AFRA through significant growth and change. We are deeply grateful for his service and leadership, which have strengthened AFRA and set us on a path to continued success. We now warmly welcome our new board members: •Tracey Watene (Pirini), Fair Food NZ •Stefanie Van Meer, Satisfy Food Rescue •Susie Robertson, Kaibosh Food Rescue •Elizabeth Cassidy-Canning, Whakaora Kai Ltd •Jennifer Stephens, KiwiHarvest We’re excited about the future and what we’ll achieve together as we continue to drive our vision forward. Here’s to the next chapter of AFRA!

🌟 Highlights from Day 1 of the Woolworths New Zealand Food Rescue Partners Summit and AFRA Hui! 🌟 We’ve come together under the theme of “Better Together” to celebrate and strengthen the incredible work of our sector. Yesterday, were honoured by a keynote address from Dr. Madeline Sheling, who shared insightful perspectives on Māori approaches to food security. Attendees chose from engaging workshops, including: 🧠 Activating Collective Intelligence with Ian Harvey 👥 Human Resource and Employment with Charlotte Parkhill from Dentons Kensington Swan. We also dove into a panel discussion on how our sector can prepare for disasters and disruptions, reinforcing the importance of being proactive in the face of challenges. Together, our members have rescued over 7.4 million kg of surplus kai over the past year alone—food that would have gone to waste but instead filled plates and lunchboxes across the motu. To all of our attendees and our members nationwide—thank you. Your dedication is what makes us stronger, together. Let’s continue to learn, share, and drive change for a better future. 💚 A huge thank you to Woolworths New Zealand for their generous support in making this event possible, and to Fonterra for their contribution to help bring us together. #BetterTogether #FoodRescueNZ #AFRAHui #CommunityImpact

Over the past year, our members have distributed almost 10 million kilograms of kai across Aotearoa. 🥝 That’s equivalent to nearly 28 million meals, feeding communities across the motu. Our members are making sure surplus food feeds people, not landfill 🙌

🙌 Celebrate the incredible collective mahi of AFRA members with us. 🙌 Over the past year, our members across Aotearoa, together, have made a remarkable impact: 🥕 7.4 million kg of surplus quality kai rescued from going to waste. 🥫 9.8 million kg of food distributed across Aotearoa. 🥘 That’s nearly 28 million meals and almost $73 million worth of food distributed into the community. To every one of our members, thank you. Your commitment to supporting communities across the country is truly inspiring. Let’s keep working together to ensure everyone in Aotearoa has access to the kai they need. (Numbers are based on our Annual Member Survey, from 1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024) #FoodRescueNZ #CommunitySupport #ZeroWaste Fair Food NZ KiwiHarvest Sunday Blessings Auckland Perfectly Imperfect / PI.FYI South Kaipara Good Food Waiheke Resources Trust Auckland City Mission - Te Tāpui Atawhai Go Eco (Waikato Environment Centre) Good Neighbour Aotearoa Trust Julie King Love Soup Nourished for Nil Just Zilch - Palmerston North's Free Store Kaibosh Food Rescue Kairos Food Rescue Supergrans Tairawhiti Trust Kairos Food Rescue Christchurch City Mission Waiwaste Food Rescue Satisfy Food Rescue The Hub Te Puke

With the price of healthy food continuing to climb, more and more people who have never needed food relief before are turning to food banks. Angela Calver, CEO of KiwiHarvest, says a third of food relief recipients have never received food relief before. Food banks are struggling to keep up with demand. Food insecurity is getting worse in New Zealand when in most parts of the world food security is improving. We need to think deeply about the systemic changes needed to reverse this awful trend. In the meantime more and more people need to rely on their community for support. Food rescue delivered by members of the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance is an efficient and cost effective way to keep food banks supplied with fresh, healthy produce while reducing unnessecary food waste.

Thank you so much, Caroline Dewstow, for inviting AFRA to participate in these discussions on The Warehouse Group's journey towards Zero Waste. We loved collaborating on the challenges, opportunities, and potential solutions for achieving a zero-waste future. Food rescue is a crucial part of a circular economy, ensuring surplus food benefits those in need instead of becoming waste. We are excited about the opportunity to work together to further these goals and help make a significant impact🌱♻️

In Australia, there is huge momentum behind the effort achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal of halving food waste by 2030 (from 2015 levels). End Food Waste Australia hosted the Australian National Food Waste Summit this week and it was a real eye-opener for the Kiwi contingent. Australia has had a national food waste strategy since 2017. End Food Waste Australia has six specific sector action plans for Bread & Bakery, Dairy, Food Cold Chain, Food Rescue, and Horticulture and just launched their new business plan detailing how Australia can hit its targets over the next six years. In the Australian Senate, a bill to create a tax incentive to encourage food rescue and donation has passed first reading and is currently in committee. At the summit, food industry heavyweights discussed the clear, measurable action they are taking to reduce food waste. Why? Because it makes economic sense, it's good for the environment and it's good for people. It just makes sense. The momentum in Australia has been generated by people in private business, non-profits, State and Federal Government collaborating and creating the sense of urgency needed to be successful. In New Zealand, we need to get behind New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 Charitable Trust (NZFWC 12.3 Trust), Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, New Zealand Food Network, Eat New Zealand and others working with industry and communities to take both the immediate action and create the long-term structures needed to reduce food waste. We need the Government to make a much clearer commitment too - and bring resources to the table. We need to back people like Kaitlin Dawson whose team leads the Kai Commitment and are doing incredible work to coordinate efforts to achieve systems change and people like Diane Stanbra, founder of Rescued Limited which up-cycles surplus food into valuable new ingredients and products. In Australia, this work feels like a real collective priority. We need the same in Aotearoa. Many thanks to all the organisers and presenters at the summit. It was a privilege to have our horizons expanded and to be challenged to raise the bar back at home. Costa Georgiadis Steve Lapidge Craig Reucassel Katy Barfield OAM Brianna Casey AM Boris Munster Hayley Borissow Rose Gooding Tim Brown Kim Berry Susan McNair Sarah May Jolanda Dings Fiona Maxwell Lucy Coward Sam Oakden

Nominate your environmental hero in the Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards. Get your nomination in by 31 July 2024. More info here: https://lnkd.in/gz55tcfD