PAK’nSAVE Te Awamutu butcher Adrianna Te Aonui knows first-hand how hard work, the right support, encouragement and opportunities can transform a career.
Fifteen years after joining the store as a teenager, Te Aonui has become an award-winning, qualified butcher preparing to compete again in the Retail Meats Young Butcher of the Year competition.
Te Aonui Haf joined PAK’nSAVE Te Awamutu shortly after the store opened in 2010, initially looking for an after-school job while studying at Te Awamutu College.
Fresh out of school and already passionate about food, she had built an impressive culinary record, winning more than 20 medals at the annual Waikato Culinary Fare during high school. She began a bakery apprenticeship through Skills for Work and quickly discovered PAK’nSAVE was more than just a workplace.
Over the past 15 years, PAK’nSAVE has supported Te Aonui to build a range of skills and qualifications across multiple departments.
Her training has included bakery and butchery apprenticeships, forklift certification, a young leaders management course, food safety and compliance training, administration courses, and the attainment of her duty manager’s licence.
About three-and-a-half years ago, Te Aonui made the unexpected move from bakery to butchery as the challenge appealed to her. Her success reflected the strong culture and mentorship within the award-winning PAK’nSAVE Te Awamutu butchery team, led by Butchery Manager Brendon Alexander.
Last year, the store’s butchery team also placed first nationally in a New Zealand butchery competition, while apprentice Cody Burbery won the ANZCO Foods Waikato Butcher Apprentice of the Year.
Butcher Brad Gillespie placed 10th overall at the World Butcher Wars at Meatstock in Sydney last month and placed 5th in the world at the 2025 World Butchers’ Challenge in Paris.
Te Aonui still regularly lends a hand in the bakery when needed, as one of the things she values most is the supportive team culture. Looking ahead, she hoped to continue growing her skills and potentially become a manager or even own her own PAK’nSAVE one day.
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