Zespri donated twenty thousand meals to NZFN

Zespri Helps Fill Eden Park for Kiwis in Need

Zespri, the world’s leading marketer of kiwifruit, has donated 20,000 meals to the New Zealand Food Network’s Pitch In campaign (NZFN).    

As more and more families struggle to put food on the table, NZFN is urgently calling Kiwis to donate to Pitch In. With Pitch In, New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) has embarked on a mission to (virtually) fill Auckland's iconic Eden Park with meals by World Food Day 2024, and they're asking food businesses and the public to pitch in with bulk food donations and financial donations to reach this goal.    

NZFN CEO, Gavin Findlay, expressed gratitude for Zespri's generous financial contribution which is equivalent to 20,000 meals.  
 
"We are thrilled to have Zespri's support for the Pitch In campaign. Their donation of 20,000 meals takes us from the first ten metre line, to over the halfway line to the next 10 metre line. This significant donation will make a difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity. It's inspiring to see companies like Zespri stepping up to address this important issue." 

Zespri Head of Global Public Affairs Michael Fox says Zespri’s is committed to supporting our communities and is delighted to contribute to initiatives like NZFN’s Pitch In to ensure high quality, healthy food is getting to those who need it.” 

The 20,000 meals donated by Zespri will be distributed through NZFN's network to those in need, targeting grower regions in New Zealand ensuring its donation supports its growing communities.  

For more information about Zespri and its community investment initiatives, visit www.zespri.com. To learn more about the New Zealand Food Network and the Pitch In campaign, visit www.nzfoodnetwork.org.nz

About Zespri  

Zespri is 100 percent owned by current and former kiwifruit growers and has a global team of 850 based in Mount Maunganui and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit, and we work with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with fresh, healthy and great-tasting Zespri Green, RubyRed and SunGold Kiwifruit. In 2022/23, we supplied 183.5 million trays of kiwifruit to consumers in more than 50 markets, and recorded global operating revenue of NZ$4.22 billion. Zespri is committed to sustainability, with areas of improvement identified right through the supply chain including our pledge that by 2025 we will use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging, do more to help the environment, and work with our partners to be carbon positive by 2035     

About NZFN 

New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) is the nation's largest organisation for the collection, management and distribution of bulk surplus food and essential items.   

Established in 2020 with funding from Ministry of Social Development, NZFN was set up as one simple solution to two major issues; good food going to waste and the rising rate of food insecurity.   

NZFN identifies, collects and distributes bulk surplus and donated food to a nationwide network of Food Hubs (organisations that provide food support to their community) at no cost to donor or community organisation. 

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