Spotlight shone on food waste progress
New research reveals that New Zealand households have made progress in reducing food waste over the past year, cutting the annual amount wasted by an estimated $300 million in the past year alone.
The introduction of a new Green Box sees weekly recipes jump from 43 to 59, bringing greater menu variety and more New Zealand produce and proteins to consumers.
Around 95% of Hello Fresh produce, protein and dairy is sourced from New Zealand.
Hannah Gilbert, head of culinary at HelloFresh Australia and New Zealand, says local growers and suppliers are an important part of how they build their menus.
“Like most food businesses, some ingredients may come from offshore depending on seasonality, availability and quality requirements, but local sourcing remains a major focus for us,” Gilbert told Hort News.
“Fresh vegetables and proteins are a big part of what we source from New Zealand suppliers each week.
“That includes everyday staples that appear right across the menu, as well as more premium ingredients featured through the refresh.”
Examples include lamb rump from Otago and Southland, hapuku from Bluff, and vegetables such as Campari vine tomatoes, baby silverbeet, oyster and shiitake mushrooms, and mini capsicums from regions including Pukekohe and Waikato.
One grower supplier, Dave Hyland, Mercer Mushrooms, says they are proud to supply HelloFresh because “it means our mushrooms are going almost directly from our growing rooms into Kiwi kitchens”.
“The partnership gives us a reliable route to market, supports stability for our team, and allows us to keep investing in quality and innovation here in the Waikato,” he told Hort News.
Hello Fresh sources produce from range of regions across both the North and South Island, depending on seasonality and availability.
Food safety, quality, consistency and reliability are all critical in how the company selects suppliers.
"We want to work hand in hand with people who can consistently deliver high-quality ingredients and who share our focus on freshness and a great customer experience,” says Gilbert.
“We stay close to our partners through regular touchpoints and planning, so we can keep quality consistent, respond to seasonal changes and make sure we’re delivering what customers expect every week.”
Gilbert says the refresh is all about giving customers more choice and better quality.
