Foodstuffs North Island and Māngere Budgeting Services Plan Social Supermarket
Foodstuffs North Island and Māngere Budgeting Services Trust are proud to announce a partnership that will see the two organisations open South Auckland’s first social supermarket in Māngere.
The brainchild of Foodstuffs North Island, the 102-year-old, 100% New Zealand owned and operated co-operative of grocers behind Four Square, Gilmours, New World, PAK’nSAVE stores, and Māngere Budgeting Services Trust, a leading provider of food support, financial mentoring, counselling and housing advocacy for the South Auckland community.
The new store, Tatou, which in te reo Māori, Samoan and Tokelauan broadly translates as meaning “everyone”, will provide food and grocery products at low or no cost, using a points system, all within a standard supermarket environment, making healthy and affordable food accessible to the community.
Lara Dolan, Chief Executive of Māngere Budgeting Services Trust said: “We can’t wait to open our new social supermarket, it’s going to help bring mana to people who can’t afford groceries to feed their families right now. Last year we supported 7,000 people with access to food but we want to do more. By partnering with Foodstuffs North Island, we’re creating an awesome new service for our community, where people can shop with dignity in a supermarket style environment and choose the items that meet their dietary, cultural, and personal preferences.”
Willa Hand, Head of Social Supermarkets for Foodstuffs North Island said: “We know many families are doing it tough right now which is why we’re on a mission to open social supermarkets right across the North Island. This is going to be our 11th social supermarket and we’re only able to deliver them through collaborating with fantastic partners. We’ve worked with the team at Māngere Budgeting Services for a number of years now and they do awesome mahi. We can’t wait to open this social supermarket with them.”
Foodstuffs North Island is the New Zealand owned co-operative behind the North Island’s PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square and Gilmour’s stores. Being 100% locally owned, the co-op has made a commitment to be 'Here for NZ' and has promised to help ensure all New Zealanders have access to healthy, affordable food and to support local communities to thrive.
Willa Hand explains: “We’re retailers, that’s our expertise and Māngere Budgeting Services are making a positive difference in their community, that’s what they’re great at. Our teams fit out the space to create the store, provide the training and ongoing support as-well-as making a commitment to help keep the shelves stocked. Māngere Budgeting Services help design the social supermarket, so it fits the local community and they put in the mahi to deliver an awesome service. It’s a real partnership.”
Foodstuffs North Island opened its first social supermarket in partnership with the Wellington City Mission back in March 2021. The co-op has since partnered with community organisations to open a further nine social supermarkets across the North Island, with Tatou set to become number 11.
In addition to providing food support, Māngere Budgeting Services also offer wraparound services to help people access additional support. Services such as financial mentoring, counselling and housing advocacy, helping address the underlying causes of food insecurity.
Tatou is scheduled to open its doors on Thursday, 11 April 2024.
About Foodstuffs North Island (FSNI)
Foodstuffs North Island is a 100% New Zealand owned co-operative, with 332 owner operated stores in communities across Te Ika-a-Māui operating under the Four Square, New World, PAK’nSAVE, and Gilmours brands. With 2.7 million customer visits in our stores and online every week and 24,000 Foodies across the North Island, we play a big role in Kiwis' lives. Our purpose is to make sure New Zealanders get more out of life and we aspire to be one of the most customer driven retailers in the world.
About Māngere Budgeting Services
Mangere Budgeting Services Trust has been helping whānau and individuals achieve better lives for themselves and their tamariki since 1994.
Our vision - Empowering and educating communities to financial independence and well-being.
Our services include Financial Mentoring and training, Financial Literacy classes, Debt Solutions, Housing and Financial Advocacy, Counselling and community support and our food relief programme that offers food parcels, assistance, and resources to eligible people in need and now will include Social Supermarket. Last financial year we supported 2,499 people and enable them to improve their financial wellbeing, fed 7,000 people, held 430 educational sessions, and connected 650 people with other community organisations.