Foodstuffs is committed to feeding New Zealand during Level 4 lockdown, and this also includes our four-legged furry and scaly friends.
Food waste which can’t be donated to Foodstuffs’ food rescue partners, is being diverted from Foodstuffs North Island’s Fresh Distribution Centre in South Auckland to Butterfly Creek to feed more than 60 animals who are also abiding by the Government’s lockdown rules and self-isolating.
“We are all operating under unprecedented circumstances and it’s had its challenges,” says John Dowsett, General Manager of Butterfly Creek. “We may have shut our doors to the public to comply with Level 4 lockdown rules, but we still need to care for our family of animals seven days a week, and this includes feeding them a well-balanced diet. We’re incredibly grateful to Foodstuffs North Island for their generous donations of meat, seafood and produce so we can continue to look after them.”
“The birds, like Maya our blue Macaw parrot, eat apples, pears, kiwifruit, grapes and celery leaves every day – still getting their 5+ a day in even during the lockdown – and our otters, Asia, Chari, Mai, Yash and Kiri, love seafood like prawns and mussels. Peanut and Jelly, our kune kune pigs love their fruit and veg too, and bok choy is one of their favourite greens. Goldie and Scar, our crocodiles, and Cheryl, Dallas, Florida and Texas, our alligators, are true carnivores and will eat any meat we give them,” says Dowsett.
The Foodstuffs North Island Fresh DC continues to divert its food waste that is still fit for human consumption to food rescue partners, including KiwiHarvest and Kaibosh.
Brigit Corson, Merchandise Manager, Produce and Butchery, Foodstuffs North Island, says the co-op is privileged to look after New Zealanders, both humans and animals.
“Produce, seafood and meat that is not fit for human consumption is a perfect well-balanced diet for our animal friends at Butterfly Creek,” says Corson. “We are doing our level best to ensure no food waste is sent to landfill, and diverting this food to Butterfly Creek is how we can continue to be sustainable and lend a helping hand to other New Zealand businesses during these trying times. We’re proud to be able to look after Aotearoa and its creatures, and encourage all New Zealanders, four legs or not, to eat the rainbow and get their 5+ a day every day.”
