ONEHUNGA CENTRE - 09 815 6122 | 0800 680 090
The kitchen produces nutritious, affordable meals specifically designed for families and individuals struggling with food insecurity. These meals are sold at a reduced cost, ensuring that low-income households can access healthy food options. The kitchen also repurposes rescued food, transforming surplus or near-expiry items into nutritious, high-quality meals, minimising food waste and supporting sustainable food systems.
Alongside its social mission, the kitchen operates a commercial arm that produces premium, high-quality meals for sale. These meals are marketed to the wider public, with profits funneled back into the social enterprise to support its charitable goals. By balancing its commercial success with its social impact, the kitchen sustains its operations while continuing to serve vulnerable communities.
The Social Enterprise Kitchen provides training and employment opportunities for individuals who are unemployed or seeking career development, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Participants receive hands-on experience in food preparation, kitchen management, and hospitality. Through partnerships with other social enterprises and industry players, the kitchen also offers pathways into the wider hospitality sector, creating long-term employment opportunities for trainees.
The kitchen plays a role in educating the community about food waste, sustainability, and the importance of healthy eating. It hosts workshops and engages with schools and community groups to spread awareness and encourage involvement. The kitchen also serves as a platform for young people to get involved, offering them opportunities to learn about food production, sustainability, and the social impact of providing kai (food) for those in need.
The kitchen is closely integrated with other Vinnies programmes, such as the Food Hub, which distributes food parcels to families in need. It helps supply ready-to-heat meals for food parcels, ensuring that the community has access to nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals. The kitchen also collaborates with government agencies like the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), providing meals for other food banks and organisations across Auckland.