Te Puke, known as the “Kiwifruit Capital of the World,” is once again at the forefront of innovation, this time in the critical area of food resilience. Vector Group Charitable Trust, a cornerstone of our local community, has just unveiled a national and regional kai resilience initiative, the first of its kind in New Zealand: the www.kairesilience.food/ website portal.
This isn’t a small-scale project. It’s a comprehensive, all-encompassing digital solution designed to address the pressing issues of food security and local food production. The website is a robust multi-vendor, directory, and events hub, with features that include crop swaps, food exchanges, farm-to-plate connections, and a direct sales platform for local vendors.
For too long, the journey of our food has been a convoluted one, often involving global supply chains that leave communities vulnerable. The kairesilience.food portal cuts through that complexity, providing a direct link between those who grow, produce, and create kai, and the communities who want to access it. It’s a tool for everyone—from the backyard gardener with a surplus of courgettes to the small-scale farmer looking to sell direct, and the whānau who want to eat fresh, healthy, and affordable local food.
“Our vision for kairesilience.food is to create a digital marae for kai,” says Steve Fawcett, founder of Vector Group Charitable Trust and a prominent voice in the Te Puke community. “It’s about bringing people together to share knowledge, resources, and abundance. This portal is the missing link that allows our communities to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on external systems. It’s about empowering every person to be a part of the food solution, not just a consumer.”
The website is a living, breathing resource. Its blog will feature local stories and growing tips, while the events calendar will highlight everything from local farmers’ markets to community workshops. By creating a centralized hub, Vector Group is fostering a stronger, more connected food ecosystem that benefits everyone in the Bay of Plenty and across Aotearoa. We encourage all Te Puke residents and businesses to explore this incredible new resource and get involved. Visit www.kairesilience.food/ today to see what’s growing in your community.
