Supermarket News Column: In the Spirit of the Season
DECEMBER 2024 – Supermarket News
Last month we launched the second season of our “Shared Horizons” video series, an NZFGC initiative looking at Aotearoa New Zealand’s FMCG industry proudly presented in partnership with ASN Media. After what we all know have been some very tough and tumultuous times we seized the opportunity to share positive news stories. These videos profile NZFGC members and leading organisations, telling and celebrating their success stories across our food, beverage, and grocery sector and across four key themes: Sustainability, Future of Aotearoa Manufacturing, Reformulation and Innovation, and Engaging Communities.
In the spirit of the season and giving back to our communities, I wanted to shine a spotlight on two remarkable and enduring Kiwi companies who feature in this second season, to inspire others to share what they are doing to create great outcomes for our people, products, community and environment.
Baking for breakfast and a better future
For over 60 years, George Weston Foods has been producing bread for generations of Kiwi households. But as the team themselves say in the Shared Horizons series, George Weston Foods isn’t just about baking bread; it’s about baking a better future. Three years ago, the company made headlines with one initiative – the introduction of cardboard bread tags. This change marked a significant step and set a benchmark for what was next – ‘doing the right thing’. Their gluten-free bakery is reducing emissions and becoming more energy efficient, recently converting from gas to electric, all part of a broader strategy to minimise the environmental impact of its products, from production to consumption. This continues in their role as a signatory to Kai Commitment to reduce manufacturing food waste across industry.
George Weston Foods also invests in its people and communities through their KidsCan partnership, delivering thousands of Tip Top Supersoft High Fibre and Tip Top Oatilicious toast loaves every week to schools across New Zealand, delivering over 1 million loaves to schools across the country through KidsCan. Their ‘caring everyday’ programme provides employees with two paid volunteer days and payroll giving to help support KidsCan and initiatives.
Sanitarium has also been a longstanding supporter of both the nationwide KickStart breakfast club programme and the New Zealand Food Network. A recent report from Ākina Foundation shows that the KickStart breakfast programme has served over 68 million breakfasts since 2009, with over 4,000 community volunteers who support the breakfast clubs all around New Zealand. These breakfast clubs are not only fuelling bodies and minds, but also enable those additional effects that reverberate into the school and wider community.
Over thirty years of Kiwi Kids giving it a TRY
The iconic Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon has inspired generations of Kiwi kids to get active. If you’re in Hastings, Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, or Central East Auckland – it all kicks off after the summer break, from mid-February onwards. Almost half a million Kiwi kids have completed the TRYathlon since it began and it is the largest under 16 triathlon in the world.
These businesses doing good are just two examples – we know there are many, many more. As we head into 2025, I’d encourage you to celebrate those giving back and challenge each other to find new ways of giving back too. We will continue to support NZFGC members to build on this incredible work, from reducing food waste to supporting communities, and growing talent. Here’s to 2025!
