Kirikiriroa’s first social supermarket opens to support Waikato whānau
Kirikiriroa’s first social supermarket has officially opened its doors, providing Waikato whānau experiencing financial hardship with access to affordable food, choice-based shopping and wraparound support services.
Te Kāpata Kai o Kirikiriroa or Kirikiriroa’s Cupboard, operated by Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora (Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust), opened today on Norton Road following months of planning and collaboration between community organisations, local businesses and volunteers.
The social supermarket is the first of its kind in Waikato and marks Foodstuffs North Island's 15th social supermarket partnership across the North Island.
Designed to provide a more dignified alternative to traditional food support, the social supermarket enables eligible families to shop for groceries and essential items using a points-based system, while also connecting them with budgeting advice, social services and other support designed to strengthen long-term wellbeing.
Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora Chief Executive Jaye Wainui said the opening represented the fulfilment of a long-held vision for the organisation and the community it serves.
"Today is an incredibly proud day for our organisation and for the wider Kirikiriroa community."
"We know many whānau are doing it tough, and Te Kāpata Kai o Kirikiriroa has been created to provide practical support in a way that upholds dignity, choice and mana."
"This is about much more than access to affordable food. It's about helping families feel supported, connected and empowered, while ensuring they can access the wider services and assistance they may need."
"We're grateful to Foodstuffs North Island, PAK'nSAVE Mill Street and our community partners, who have stood alongside us throughout this journey and generously shared their time, expertise and resources to help bring this vision to life."
Foodstuffs North Island Chief Executive, Chris Quin said social supermarkets demonstrated what could be achieved when communities worked together to support those doing it tough.
"Social supermarkets are about more than food. They're about providing dignity, choice and practical support for people who need it most."
"As a co-operative of locally owned stores, supporting our communities is part of who we are. Our owner-operators and store teams are deeply connected to the places they serve, and we're proud to support Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora as they bring this important service to Waikato whānau."
As the local buddy store, PAK'nSAVE Mill Street has played a key role in helping bring the social supermarket to life.
Over recent weeks, team members have volunteered their time to assemble shelving, stock displays, complete ticketing, prepare the store for opening, and help establish a future māra kai that will supplement fresh produce available through the social supermarket.
PAK'nSAVE Mill Street Store Manager, Akash Charles said supporting the project was an easy decision.
"This is about much more than putting food on shelves. It's about creating a place where people can access food with dignity while also getting the support they need to thrive."
"Our team has gotten behind this project because it's helping local families in our community. Some of our team understand firsthand from their own childhoods, the challenges that can come with getting food on the table and making ends meet. Seeing the supermarket open today and ready to welcome people through the doors is something we're incredibly proud of."
"Being part of the Foodstuffs co-operative means locally owned stores like ours can work together to support initiatives that would be difficult to achieve alone. That's what we've seen here, with people from across the community coming together behind a shared goal."
Foodstuffs North Island will continue supporting Te Kāpata Kai o Kirikiriroa through training, operational expertise and ongoing mentoring as the social supermarket becomes established in the community.