All five Woolworths stores in the Nelson region will this week be supporting the appeal to raise funds for Nelson Environment Centre Kai Rescue.
Customers at Woolworths Nelson, Trafalgar Park, Nelson Junction, Stoke and Richmond will have the option of 'rounding up’ at the checkout to raise funds for Nelson Environment Centre (NEC) Kai Rescue, which collects safe surplus food from all five Woolworths stores.
NEC has recently launched a successful fundraising campaign for its Kai Rescue work, seeking to raise at least NZD 40,000 by the end of June.
“We’re thrilled that NEC’s fundraising campaign was so successful, but we want to help make sure that NEC Kai Rescue has a strong future," said Kyle Waterhouse, manager of Woolworths Nelson.
"Food rescue is a really big deal for Woolworths, and by having a round-up we can raise some extra money for NEC Kai Rescue and raise its profile with our customers, and the profile of food rescue in general."
Woolworths will kick off the appeal by donating NZD 5,000 to NEC Kai Rescue on top of the NZD 35,000 already donated to it this year, as part of Woolworths’ NZD one million-plus support for food rescue.
Across the five stores from Nelson to Stoke, Woolworths has donated more than 140 tonnes of safe, surplus food to NEC Kai Rescue over the past 12 months.
"We have had an extraordinary community response to our call for help,” said Andrew White, CEO of Nelson Environment Centre.
“We're also incredibly chuffed with the rapid and very meaningful response from our partners, including Woolworths, which is our biggest food supplier. Our relationship with Woolworths is absolutely essential to the success of Kai Rescue in many ways."
The round-up will run until the close of business on Sunday, the 14th of June.
In its 2025 financial year, Woolworths donated well over 4,000 tonnes of safe surplus food, equivalent to more than eight million meals.
