Daniel Peach, Customer and Data Intelligence Manager at Foodstuffs North Island, and Ricky Bowen, Foodies Foundation Chair and owner-operator of New World Whangamatā. Earlier this year, Ricky lost his father-in-law to sialidosis, the same condition Daniel and his sister live with, and advocated for Daniel to receive $5,000 in funding from the Foodies Foundation to go towards the organisation, Cure Sialidosis. 

In 2019, Foodstuffs North Island lost a good man – Baden Ngan Kee. 

Baden was the kind of leader who quietly inspired others to do better, be better. The General Manager of Merchandise, he never smoked, exercised five times a week, and ate well. Yet he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away three years later, leaving behind his wife and three young children.  

When Baden became ill, and later when he passed, his colleagues felt helpless. They wanted to do more than send flowers – they wanted to support his family, and anyone else across the Foodies whānau of more than 24,000, who might one day face something similar. Out of that desire, the Foodies Foundation was born. 

The Foodies Foundation is an in-house charitable trust established by Foodstuffs North Island, the 103-year-old co-operative behind the North Island’s locally owned and operated PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square, and Gilmours stores. The Foundation provides financial and practical support to Foodstuffs team members and their families in times of need. 

Since its inception in 2018, the Foundation has supported over 810 people from across the co-op – from the checkout to the support centre, to the distribution centres – distributing more than $2,000,000 in support. 

Owner Operator of New World Whangamatā and Foodies Foundation Chair, Ricky Bowen says: “What makes the Foundation special is that it’s ours – funded by Foodies, for Foodies.  Whether it’s a $1 a week donation from someone’s pay, a support centre fundraising drive, or a huge effort like Peter Blackwell from Gilmours Hawke’s Bay and his son John climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and raising$119,000 – every contribution counts.” 

Peter Blackwell, owner-operator of Gilmours Hawke’s Bay, and his son John scaled Mount Kilimanjaro last year, raising $119,000 for the Foodies Foundation – the largest ever single donation the foundation has received. 

Applications are open to all Foodstuffs North Island team members, and each case is carefully reviewed by a team of volunteer Trustees made up of store owners, supply chain legends and support centre team members, representing every part of the co-op. 

“The stories we see are raw and real,” says Bowen. “It’s not always about money. Sometimes it’s helping someone relocate to safety, covering car repairs so they can get to work, or simply being there for someone who’s struggling.” 

The Foundation has helped team members who’ve lost homes in floods, escaped abusive relationships, faced sudden illness, or experienced tragic loss.  

“Some stories break your heart,” Bowen says.  

“Others remind you of the strength and resilience of the Foodies community.” 

Foodstuffs North Island’s Daniel Peach and his sister Faith. 

Among those supported is Daniel Peach, Customer Data & Intelligence Manager at Foodstuffs North Island. Daniel and his sister Faith both live with a rare genetic disorder called sialidosis, the same disease that took their brother at just 42. There’s no cure yet, but Daniel is fundraising to take part in a pioneering gene therapy trial that could save his life. The Foundation has backed him – and will continue to do so. 

In the past year alone, the Foundation has received more than 150 applications.  Yet even as more people seek help, others continue to give back – a reflection of the co-op’s core value: In it together. 

Looking ahead, the Foundation hopes to expand beyond emergency support to include proactive wellbeing initiatives – from life coaching to financial literacy education – helping Foodies team members build resilience before crisis hits. 

“We don’t want to wait until someone’s at the bottom of the cliff,” says Bowen. “We want to be both the ambulance and the fence at the top.” 

“When life throws a curveball, the Foodies Foundation is here to help. Because at Foodstuffs North Island, looking after our own isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are.”