Making the evening supermarket dash a thing of the past

Making the evening supermarket dash a thing of the past

Every family knows how challenging it can be to put good, healthy food on the table every night after a long, busy day – but a new Tauranga-based company promises to make the 6pm supermarket dash a thing of the past.

The Kiwi Larder is an online grocer that delivers fresh, seasonal and locally-sourced produce and foods right to families’ doors with no delivery charge. Nobody understands the need for it better than Carolyn Melrose, who as well as being director of the business is a busy mum-of-two.

“Our mission is simple – to provide and introduce people to really good, non-processed foods,” says Melrose.

It’s based on the vegetable box schemes of the 1980s, with one key difference: the online environment. Customers will be able to select from a range of products, from fruit, vegetables and meat right through to juicing and detox supplies, and order and pay online. The menu also includes artisan breads, Over the Moon cheese, individual cuts of meat from a Tauranga-based butcher, prepared vegetables, salads, fresh herbs, free range eggs and organic options, all delivered in refrigerated vehicles.

The variety and selection means there’s a box to suit families of all sizes and budgets. For convenience, boxes can be ordered on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

The Kiwi Larder grew out of Melrose’s concern over the difficulty in combining modern family life with quality, cooked-from scratch food. “We have a produce for fresh products and good food but realising how busy it is working, juggling family commitments and generally being time poor, we saw the need for more convenient healthy food options.” So now the Melrose family set about making that a reality for thousands of others like them.

So, working with the knowledge gained from her husband’s extensive experience in the food industry, and with manager Mark Skellon, on board who brings experience with produce and home delivery from his time working in the UK and now back in NZ. Mark has been living in Tauranga now for over a year with his English girlfriend. They both love the bay having brought a property in the Lower Kaimai. “I’m so excited for this challenge I’ve been offered, Kiwi Larder is going to be a huge success and I’m looking forward to being a part of this.

The goal is to make it easier for New Zealanders to get back into the habit of cooking from scratch, rather than relying on expensive pre-packaged foods, says Melrose.

“We want to educate people on ‘scratch cooking’ by providing recipes online, to encourage people to try new foods or get them to use a product differently.”

Produce will be sourced from the Waikato-Bay of Plenty region, ensuring that local growers are supported and the food is as local and fresh as possible. To start with, the company will service the Bay of Plenty, with expansion to the Waikato in the near future.

“We want to shorten the supply chain for consumers and in the process reduce costs, environmental impact and energy use. We’ll also be supporting our local farmers and local economies so that everyone who should win, wins,” says Melrose.

“Several studies show that as soon as food is harvested, nutrients decrease – so the further the fork is from the farm, the less goodness you get from your food,” she says. “But with The Kiwi Larder, in some cases it’ll be just 24 hours between picking and delivery, so nutritionally it’s the next best thing to having your own vege garden.”

Check out Kiwi Larder at www.kiwi-larder.co.nz, also their Facebook page and other social media links.

ENDS

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