Year in Review: Nourished for Nil - Hastings food rescue’s focus on sustainability and community

Nourished for Nil has more than 160 volunteers who help sort produce and food daily.

The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers’ favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.

This story by The Country’s Kem Ormond was originally published on February 1.

More than 1000 tonnes of food per year are being rescued from the landfill by Hastings-based Nourished for Nil.

This includes food donated by supermarkets, growers, cafes, school lunches, private gardens and even cancelled export orders.

Every item of food donated is recorded and documented.

The food rescue organisation was launched in 2017 to save surplus food from being dumped by cafes and share it with communities.

It’s been on a rollercoaster ride since, with demand and donations growing.

There are no eligibility criteria to receive a bag of rescued food — everyone is welcome.

Nourished for Nil now runs seven services a week with up to 450 people using its services daily.

It runs like a well-oiled machine, and not just the food distribution.

Sustainability is equally important.

This certainly couldn’t be done without more than 160 volunteers, some of whom have been there since 2017.

So, how does 1000 tonnes of food get distributed without any wastage?

Fresh perishable produce goes out the same day, in time to be distributed into the community.

Any spoiled perishables are collected by a local pig farm.

Refrigerated shipping containers and chest freezers help extend the life of all other food.

Working with Sustainable HB, Nourished for Nil sorts its soft and hard plastics, paper, and cardboard to be recycled.

Being a nonprofit that has to apply for funding, it is the generosity of people and other organisations that makes Nourished for Nil work.

A donor generously supplies paper bags to bundle up bread and produce.

Having to relocate to a different suburb each day means needing to transport the food.

A new electric van was purchased last year, thanks to the Meridian Community Decarbonisation Fund, showing how important sustainability and the environment are to this organisation.

A new electric van was purchased last year thanks to funding from the Meridian Community Decarbonisation Fund.

How does a business like Nourished for Nil measure the social impact of its services?

In close collaboration with Nourished for Nil, Deloitte’s Sustainability and Climate team conducted a Sustainable Return on Investment (SROI) analysis, which leverages frameworks from the UN Development Programme.

This analysis demonstrated the significant social impact of Nourished for Nil’s services and helped secure a pathway toward financial independence.

The analysis revealed that for every $1 invested, Nourished for Nil generates $8.80 in social value.

In 2024, Nourished for Nil distributed food to more than 89,000 families, as well as rescuing 1,042,114 kg of food from landfill.

Food rescue joins Te Rehe Solar Network

Last week, Te Rehe Solar Network, founded by Stewart Financial Group, announced the addition of Nourished for Nil to its community solar initiative.

The partnership will help power the organisation’s Hastings operations with locally-sourced sustainable energy.

The collaboration “aligns perfectly” with Nourished for Nil’s operating hours, allowing maximum use of solar energy.

The Stewart and Buddo families, both local members of Te Rehe Solar Network, have already initiated a monthly energy gifting programme, with the goal of community members contributing enough surplus solar energy to significantly reduce or eliminate Nourished for Nil’s energy costs.