Countdown

Countdown is one of Aotearoa’s leading brands, with the supermarket chain serving around 3 million customers every week and working with hundreds of local food producers and suppliers across the country. It’s also one of the nation’s largest employers, with more than 21,000 team members across 186 stores, distribution centres, processing plants and support offices.

Countdown has been partnering with KiwiHarvest since 2013, and the relationship has grown exponentially to now see KiwiHarvest as the supermarket’s chosen food rescue partner across 51 stores nationwide.

We chatted with Monique Vallom, Senior Advisor of Community Programmes & Charity Partnerships about our collaboration.

What made you decide to sponsor KiwiHarvest?

Across our business, we’re committed to helping make Aotearoa a great place to live, where the people and environment can thrive. Our sustainability plan, Kia pai ake te apōpō - A Better Tomorrow outlines more than 40 commitments Countdown has set out to achieve by 2025. These sit across three focus areas - people, product and planet - and include Countdown's commitment to zero food waste to landfill by 2025 and reducing emissions by 63% compared to 2015.

With this alignment, Countdown has proudly partnered with KiwiHarvest since 2015 when it began collecting fresh produce that couldn’t be sold from seven Auckland stores. Since then, our partnership has grown and KiwiHarvest now collects from 51 Countdown stores across Aotearoa. It’s a key partner in helping us achieve our ‘zero food waste to landfill by 2025’ goal.

In the last two years, we’ve also invested $408,374 into KiwiHarvest to ensure that every one of our Auckland stores has a food rescue partner while enabling them to continue the incredible work they do to support communities throughout the country.

What have been some key highlights of this experience so far?

Reaching 100% of our Auckland stores having a food rescue partner was a huge milestone for our partnership – and each month we now donate around 20,000kg of good food that would have otherwise been destined for landfill. Knowing this is supporting those who most need it is truly incredible.

Big thank you to Countdown for your ongoing support and commitment to helping drive positive environmental and social change in our communities.

Visit Countdown’s website HERE