Kiwifruit is synonymous with the Bay, but so is helping our fellow Kiwis. Pitching in to assist the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN), Seeka has found a way to ensure good produce won’t go to waste.
“They had everything set up making it easy to assist them,” Lloyd Franks from kiwifruit producer, Seeka, said. “It’s great to see fruit benefit people in the community, especially given kiwifruit’s nutritional benefits.”
Donating fruit that doesn’t meet retail grade for international or local markets has become part of the Paengaroa-based grower’s wider drive towards sustainability.
“Fruit loss is a natural part of the process, [so] our mission is to ensure that as much fruit as possible is eligible for the retail markets. Seeka is actively exploring sustainable solutions.”
Aiming to improve food security nationwide, NZFN approached Seeka earlier this year. Fruit was donated from July through until September.
“We collect, sort and redistribute bulk surplus food nationally and get it to where it’s needed most,” Sophie Percy from NZFN adds. “Establishing this donation relationship with Seeka has been fantastic. It has meant a great deal to the communities supported by our network.”
