Frucor Suntory donates $100,000 of juice and smoothies to Hawke's Bay frontline workers and families

Frucor Suntory donates more than $100,000 worth of stock to frontline DHB, care workers and those who are doing it tough. Photo / Supplied

Frucor Suntory is backing the Bay during the pandemic by donating more than $100,000 worth of its locally produced Simply Squeezed juice and smoothies to local frontline DHB staff, care workers and families.

The owner of Simply Squeezed decided to donate its stock destined for disposal to Hawke's Bay DHB, Tairāwhiti care workers and Nourished for Nil, who rescue surplus food and distribute it to locals in Hawke's Bay.

Hawke's Bay DHB procurement specialist Bela Jones says the stock was greatly received by DHB staff and it was one of the "stand out moments from the Covid-19 pandemic".

"Once this is all over, we will look back over the years and remember these days," Jones said.

"One will be trying to get some ventilators out to Samoa, the second will be the juice that Frucor Suntory so generously supplied to our staff more than once.

"Local people and business have been wonderful in recognising the essential service the health sector has provided – and it has made everyone feel special."

Simply Squeezed dispatch administrator Megan Leahy said it was an honour to help out.

Simply Squeezed also teamed up with Nourished for Nil, a regional partner of Kiwi Harvest – a food charity partnered with Frucor Suntory.

"By working with Nourished for Nil we were able to provide 360 food parcels with one or two bottles of Simply Squeezed," Leahy said.

"Feedback from the community groups who received them was incredibly positive – a wonderful surprise to get with their food parcels."