A New Approach to Kai

The Papatoetoe Food Hub is a community-driven project that aims to nurture and develop new approaches to food. They are reimagining how food can be served and shared in a way that enables healthy lifestyles. A collective is made up Roots Creative Entrepreneurs, Kai Tupuna, Taiohi Whai Oranga and Auckland Teaching Gardens, supported by The Southern Initiative, Healthy Families South Auckland, Otara Papatoetoe Local Board and Panuku Development Auckland. It’s a community driven project.Their aim is to nurture a new approach to kai. One that encourages a behaviour change towards healthy food while also tackling food insecurity. On the surface they run a café. However, what this multi-use space is really doing is making good food accessible and affordable to the local community while also creating a hub where people can connect and share new concepts related to food.Their partnership approach has seen them working with farmers in Pukekohe to rescue surplus produce and turn it into soup for local schools in Papatoetoe. They have made available indigenous food like hangi and umu available in Papatoetoe and they regularly also provide work opportunities for Papatoetoe youth and locals. Since October 2019 the Papatoetoe Food Hub has also worked with Papatoetoe New World to rescue some of the supermarket’s surplus produce. This has resulted in approximately one tonne of produce being rescued each week to create healthy, affordable meals and juices at the Food Hub.