Milestone Moment: Sanitarium and New Zealand Food Network Deliver 10-Million Breakfasts to Kiwis in Need!

Sanitarium's partnership with New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) has helped distribute 10-million breakfast servings of Weet-Bix and other cereals to more than 60 NZFN Food Hubs across New Zealand over the last four years! These hubs are on the frontlines, tackling food insecurity across the country.

NZFN Chief Executive, Gavin Findlay, says “We are extremely grateful for the generosity that Sanitarium has shown over the past four years, and their ongoing passion for our mission. Their consistent support has meant we can provide the communities we serve with healthy breakfasts, especially as more and more whānau struggle to put meals on the table.”

Under the partnership, NZFN’s two centralised distribution centres receive, sort and store donated food from food donors. This is then sent over 60 registered Food Hubs, where it’s divided into manageable quantities each week or as needed for local distribution.

Although the 10-million breakfast milestone marks a huge achievement in assisting NZFN to improve food security across Aotearoa, the need for donations has become more urgent. Recent data from NZFN reveals that their Food Hubs can only meet about 60% of the growing demand for food assistance, leaving many families without the support they need.

Liz Cassidy-Nelson, Chief Executive of the 155 Whare Āwhina Food Hub, emphasises the importance of food donations to her community.

“The number of people seeking help keeps rising, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep our [social supermarket] shelves stocked. We’re deeply grateful for every food donation, but essentials like Weet-Bix and Anchor milk, staples of a classic Kiwi breakfast, remain highly sought after. These are the high-value items everyone wants” Liz explains.

Sanitarium NZ General Manager, Michael Barton praised the partnership experience, saying, “Serving our communities in need is part of our purpose to ensure even those who are facing hard times have access to nutritious foods. Our partnership with New Zealand Food Network ensures that this gets to the communities that need it most, building healthy, sustainable communities together.”

Learn more about how you can support the New Zealand Food Network here