Comvita crew offer sweetness to others this Christmas

Comvita's Courtney Tamblin, Harman Kang, Scott Coulter and Nikki Reedy are hoping others will have a sweet Christmas this year. Photo / supplied

Staff from one of the Bay of Plenty's biggest export businesses have chosen to forfeit their annual end of year goodies to offer something sweet to those in need this Christmas.

The team from Paengaroa-based Comvita donated more than 250 jars of honey and 300 other health food items to the Tauranga Community Foodbank and Rotorua Salvation Army on Wednesday.

The donations come as part of this year's Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal which winds up today. The honey and other items will be placed in food parcels distributed among families in need before Christmas Eve.

Comvita matched its staff members' donations by gifting additional pots of its Sweet Meadows honey to the two organisations.

Comvita chief executive officer Scott Coulter said it was the company's employees who decided to donate its products to those in need in the lead up to Christmas.

"Each month our staff receive a product allowance of either honey or our other products. This December, they decided to gift these to those less fortunate. I'm so proud of our people for choosing to help where they can, and for sharing in the Christmas spirit of giving," Coulter said.

Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said it made her day when Comvita phoned to tell her about the huge honey donation.

"This is something we cannot afford to purchase on our budget, but something we will take great joy in passing on in our food parcels. We cannot thank Comvita enough for their support," Goodwin said.