As a part of the Australian Institute of Packaging’s commitment to fighting food waste two teams of Members headed to KiwiHarvest in Auckland last month to help pack 2175 kgs of potatoes and carrots into about 145x 15kg bags.
The bags KiwiHarvest use are the malt bags from boutique breweries which saves them from going to waste as well.
The recipients who receive the potatoes and carrots are all over Auckland from Orewa in the North to Pukekohe in the South. The completed bags are given to foodbanks to distribute to individual families, used for community meals such as Everybody Eats, charities like Shine Women’s Refuge, schools.
So, who is KiwiHarvest?
KiwiHarvest are New Zealand’s perishable food rescuers; collecting good food before it goes to waste and distributing it to those in need to nourish the wider community. Every month they deliver over 60,000 kgs of food to 220 charities nationally. Their work is already changing the fact that 103,000 tonnes of food is thrown away by New Zealand industry every year. KiwiHarvest is here to create lasting positive change so that good food does not go to waste. Moreover, those that need nourishment will receive it. KiwiHarvest reduces the negative impacts of food waste on our environment by redistributing excess food; helping to create lasting positive social change by nourishing those in need.
So how can AIP Members and industry colleagues help KiwiHarvest?
Join AIP KiwiHarvest Volunteer Program; either as an individual, with your staff and colleagues, or even with your families. The AIP will work directly with KiwiHarvest to book in some days where our volunteers can visit the Ellerslie Warehouse and help pick and pack fresh vegetables into sacks. The day will start with a formal introduction on how KiwiHarvest works and information on their charity partners. The AIP will be offering more volunteer days throughout the year for NZ industry.
