Meet Kaibosh – the first food rescue of NZ
Kaibosh was founded in 2008 as the first dedicated food rescue organisation of Aotearoa. We rescue and redistribute good quality surplus food from 90 food businesses in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Te Awa Kairangi, Kāpiti and Horowhenua – connecting good kai with 140 charities and community groups supporting people in need.
From farm to food rescue
Food that’s good enough to eat often doesn’t make it from farm to table. Unharvested potential.
At Kaibosh, we believe that together we can create resilient local food systems. Where every grower, producer and food retailer can connect kai with their community.
In 2024 we started a pilot project – second harvest. Find out more.
5,130,095 kg
food distributed
14,156,996
meals provided
13,594,751 kg C02e
emissions prevented
Latest news
07 Nov 25 |
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Kaibosh at the Kāpiti Half Marathon 2025
We’re counting down to the Kāpiti Half Marathon this Saturday, 9 November, where Kaibosh is proud to be one of the event’s charity partners alongside the Waikanae Estuary Trust 💚 This year, we’ve got two amazing runners going the distance for Kaibosh in the 21km event and our team are bringing our famous smoothie bikes back for post-run DIY fruit drinks! Two amazing locals are running the 21km: 👟 Emma Upton – ultra-marathon runner and barista at The Roastery Café near our Kāpiti base, who’s passionate about raising awareness for men’s mental health. The Kāpiti Half is a warm-up for her next big challenge – running from Auckland to Wellington later this month for @movember.nz, covering over 50km a day! Meet Emma in our Youtube short video. 🚚 Sam Saffery – one of our Hutt Valley Food Rescue Drivers, who spends his weekdays rescuing food for Kaibosh and weekends performing music as @slamsafari 🎶. Earlier this year, Sam walked more than 400km on his “Hard Yards” music tour from Hawke’s Bay to Pōneke, and he’s back at the Kāpiti Half for a second year to run for Kaibosh. 🙌 Support Emma and Sam’s runs and help Kaibosh rescue more good food and feed our communities – donate to our Kāpiti Half Grassrootz page here. 🍓 Smoothie Bikes Are Back! We’re also excited to be serving up our famous zero-waste smoothie bike blends at the finish line – the perfect post-run warm down!This year’s blends are boosted thanks to Nothing Naughty protein supplements (including a plant-based option 🌱), and served in @fillgood.nz reusable cups. Grab a smoothie, enjoy your well-earned blend, and make sure to drop your cup in Fill Good’s bright pink return bins ♻️ ☀️ Whether you’re running, walking, cheering, or sipping a smoothie – we can’t wait to see you at the Kāpiti Half Marathon!
Continue Reading16 Oct 25 |
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How Kai Connects and Sustains Our Communities
October is World Food Day month — a time to reflect on how the way we grow, share and consume food shapes our communities and our future. This year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” resonates deeply with our mahi at Kaibosh, where food is more than just sustenance — it’s the foundation for connection, wellbeing, and resilience. As part of a student internship with Kaibosh, Holly Watson has explored the challenges of food insecurity in Aotearoa and how community-led action, partnerships, and care are helping build stronger, more sustainable food systems. In her story, Holly shares what she learned — and the people she met — through her time with Kaibosh. Hand in hand Kaibosh and partners are building food resilience across Wellington What we put on our plates every day does much more than simply fill our puku – kai is the fuel that keeps our bodies running, our immune system pumping and helps heal us when we aren’t at our best. Eating a healthy mix of foods can protect us from things like heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. But here’s something many people don’t realise: food isn’t just about physical health. The nutrients we eat also play a major role in our mental wellbeing, nourishing our brain by improving our focus, memory, and other cognitive functions, as well as protecting it. However, for many whānau, this vital necessity of kai is getting harder to access and afford, and the industrial food system has inadvertently created a disconnect between the food, land and the people.
Continue Reading25 Sep 25 |
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Food Waste Is Heating Up the Planet
Every crate of food we rescue for people in our communities is a win for people and the planet. We know food waste is a problem in our warming world – but just how big a problem? The global Food Waste Index Report 2024 compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) found that a fifth of food at consumer/retail stage is wasted – and globally this adds up to over a billion tonnes! This is in addition to 13 per cent of food loss that the FAO estimates between farm/production and retail. Here in Aotearoa, New Zealand households waste about 80 kilograms of good food every year, which adds up to tossing out around $1,364 worth of good kai. (Take a look at which foods are the most wasted.)
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