Arthur Miller School girls eating sushi supplied through Napier-based business Lunchonline, which has delivered over 3.3 million meals to schools nationwide since 2010.
Arthur Miller School girls eating sushi supplied through Napier-based business Lunchonline, which has delivered over 3.3 million meals to schools nationwide since 2010.
A Napier-based online lunch service has delivered over 3.3 million meals to schools across the country since its launch in 2010.
It all started with the former owner of Taradale local Heaven’s Bakery, Jason Heaven, who wanted to cut down on waste.
He created Lunchonline 15 years ago in partnershipwith Sharon Chapman, Julie Gillies and the late David Chapman. Heaven said the idea grew out of repeated requests from schools wanting lunches supplied.
“I didn’t want the hassle of making a lot of food that might not sell, or handling cash and change,” Heaven said.
“I mentioned it to Sharon and David [owners of ABC Software], and it seemed like there might be a business there.”
The model, which allowed prices to be kept lower for parents, expanded beyond Hawke’s Bay.
Nearly 100,000 parents have since used the service, and it now connects schools from Whangārei to Invercargill with local food outlets.
“I could offer my items to schools at between 6 and 12% lower prices than you’d get in the cabinet, knowing it was all going on the courier van straight to the school. Nothing would get thrown away,” Heaven said.
While sausage rolls and sandwiches dominated the early menus, nowadays sushi has become the most-ordered lunch.
“That’s an indicator of how tastes have changed. Back in 2010, it was all about the sausage rolls and sammies,” Heaven said.
Arthur Miller School student Rudi Keighley eating sushi ordered via Lunchonline, the platform's most popular item.
Heaven says as well as supporting parents and schools, Lunchonline has provided steady income for small food businesses and a commission stream for schools.
It has also stepped in during crises.
“After the Canterbury earthquakes, we were able to continue delivering lunches to schools when supermarkets were shut for demolition or repairs,” Heaven said.
“Families couldn’t go and do their normal shopping, but we were able to step in and keep the lunches flowing.”
While the Hawke’s Bay business has added services like uniform sales, fundraising payments and ticketing for school events, lunches remain the focus.
“I’m proud that we’ve been able to make ordering a nutritious school lunch simpler for people, and helped hundreds of bakeries and food outlets stay afloat through 15 years of financial challenges and cost-of-living rises,” Heaven says.
