Smashing Targets and Rescuing Kai. Kaibosh’s Journey in 2025

With support from One Percent Collective donors, Kaibosh are reducing food waste, building stronger communities and tackling climate change along the way. Here’s a look at Kaibosh's highlights and milestones from the past year.

The ongoing generosity on One Percent Collective donors is helping create a fairer food system. One where good kai is never wasted, and everyone has access to nourishing meals.

A Year of Impact

Between May 2024 and April 2025, Kaibosh's teams across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Kāpiti:

• Rescued and shared over 824,639kg of surplus food. (That’s 64,000kg more than last year.)

• Stopped more than 2,185 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

That means more good kai reaching whānau, and fewer emissions harming our environment. All made possible by One Percent Collective donors.

Earlier this year, Kaibosh Kitchen Pito-one smashed its first-year targets. From hearty soups to wholesome baking, they’re feeding more people with kai made from rescued ingredients. In Kāpiti, a smaller kitchen is also making magic. Coastal surplus fruit is being turned into nourishing food by the amazing chop n’ chat volunteers.

Launching Second Harvest

One of Kaibosh's biggest milestones in 2024 was launching Second Harvest, a new pilot programme that takes their food rescue work further upstream.

Kaibosh has always rescued good surplus food from supermarkets, manufacturers and retailers. But while more whānau are struggling to put kai on the table, plenty of fresh food is still being lost on farms and orchards before it ever hits a shelf.

Second Harvest responds to that gap by collecting fresh, healthy produce directly from local growers. In its first year, Kaibosh rescued more than 50 tonnes of farm-fresh kai. Oversized cabbages, lumpy pumpkins and other nutritious crops are now feeding families instead of being left in the paddock.

Why It Matters

Second Harvest is about more than food rescue. It’s about:

• Increasing access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Helping growers share surplus in an easy, practical way.

• Tackling climate change by reducing food loss at the farm gate.

• Building a fairer, more resilient local food system.

Kaibosh are working alongside mana whenua, regional growers and community partners like Wesley Community Action, who connect this produce with hubs such as the Hauora Kai fruit and vege co-op. This collaborative approach is helping Kaibosh shape a model that can be scaled to meet regional needs.

They're also talking with national groups like the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, Te Whatu Ora and local councils to explore how Second Harvest can fit into a bigger, long-term food resilience strategy.

Looking Upstream, Thinking Ahead

One of the biggest challenges in the pilot has been transport. Fresh produce is bulkier and more time-sensitive than packaged food. To make it work, Kaibosh needs vehicles that are reliable and climate-friendly. So they're looking for sponsors to help them purchase a light electric truck. It will allow them to move food from farms to community tables more efficiently and with fewer emissions.

With the the Collective's continued support, Kaibosh are:

• Strengthening partnerships with regional growers.

• Planning to expand Second Harvest across the wider Wellington region.

• Playing a stronger role in national food planning and advocacy.

Kaibosh's commitment is simple. Every part of the supply chain, from farm to fork, should be part of the solution. No good kai should go to waste while people are going hungry.

The Bigger Picture

Across Aotearoa, one in four tamariki live in homes where food runs out. It’s a heartbreaking reality, and a reminder of why this mahi matters.

Kaibosh is helping to close the gap by capturing kai at both ends of the system, from farm to kitchen. Whether it’s a box of fresh veg or a hot meal, it’s all part of one mission. Feeding people, not landfills.

They're proud to stand with others calling for a national food strategy. One that values food, not waste, and makes sure everyone has a place at the table.

What’s Next

• Growing Second Harvest and building a regional food rescue network.

• Expanding the Kaibosh kitchen capacity to turn rescued food into more meals for whānau.

• Partnering with food sector leaders and community groups to meet demand.

• Advocating for a future of zero food waste and zero food poverty.

None of this is possible without the generosity of One Percent Collective donors. Everyone's 1% is part of something powerful. Together, we’re creating real, lasting change and helping build a food system that’s fair, sustainable and welcoming to everyone.

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Words and images supplied by Kaibosh.