What is pay it forward? Who runs the shop? What is 'Pay what we can' Happy Hour?
Community Shop at Owairaka is the first 'Pay it forward' perfectly fine food shop in New Zealand, where everybody can enjoy food with dignity and it's more than a free food store. It's part of our national program Gleaning Network, to build a sustainable circular food ecosystem together and, to empower our relationship with the land and real good food.
Now let's find out what we offer at the 'One World' community shop
Highlight #1 - What is pay it forward?
No food is free, it requires 214 litres of water to grow 1kg tomatoes and a steady warm temperature between 15-21 degrees 24hrs for 90days.
Growers paid it forward to grow this highly nutritious food for us
We paid it forward for all perfectly fine food to growers and packhouses, for everybody.
You paid it forward to your families and others in the community who needs help.
We all pay what we can to support the community to build a sustainable circular food ecosystem, with zero waste and zero hunger
Highlight #2 - What's perfectly fine food and where are they from?
Perfectly fine food also called second grade or process grade, sometimes un-gradable food. These food are too big, too small, perfect ripen or has cosmetic damage but are still perfectly fine to eat. In another word, perfect to eat but not good enough to sell.
We get all our fresh fruits and vegetables through our national program Gleaning Network. There're over 20 local growers and packhouses in our program, who come together to fight the good fight "save food, feed people" All our growers are MPI registered, and most are New Zealand Good Agricultural Practice certified.
Highlight #3 - Who runs the shop?
Our shop is run by the community, volunteer hosts could be our neighbours, teachers, mums, dads and everyone older than 18 years old. The host is here to serve the community, share a love of 'pay it forward' and also believe in #uglyisdelicious #uglyisnewhope
book host service schedule here
our team will contact you for more information
on the service day, make sure you arrive 8 mins earlier to familiar if it's your first time. we'll call you to check you in.
set up: open up both windows, and count stocks numbers recorded on "Host Dairy"
pack up: close and lock up both windows, sweep benchtop surface and floor, collect dead dry leaves and put them in a garden box outside. count stocks and recorded on "Host Dairy"
Closed and locked the door and turn off all lights when you left.
Wednesday and Thursday, You're welcome to choose what you like from 6 types of fruits and vegetable prices ranging from $2 - $5 available. Later the May, we will also have fresh made frozen packed meals like pasta, lasagna, cupcakes etc priced at $10 or less.
Friday is our 'Pay what you can' Happy Hours, we'll have a half-filled box of fruits and vegetables, you can fill the rest half with food that you need for $15, more or less. more details here.
Highlight #4 - What is 'Pay what we can' Happy Hour?
Happy hour is on every Friday when everyone is come to shop and enjoys food with dignity. $15 / box, fill up with food that you need. Some of us pay extra forward to support the community, who only can pay what they can.
All kids who came to shop with families would have healthy fruit snacks for free, we all need good food, especially for our futures.
We will have at least 6 varieties of fruits and vegetables for the community.
