Nourished for Nil opens social supermarket in Hastings

By Michaela Gower

Hawke's Bay Today

15 April 2025

Nourished for Nil has officially opened Whare Whāngai, making it the second social supermarket store in Hawke’s Bay.

The store on Queen St West in Hastings is a collaboration with Foodstuffs North Island, who fully stocked the supermarket for the opening and would contribute $50,000 annually.

The launch on Monday came 18 months after the organisations partnered to open the region’s first social supermarket in Napier, a collaboration that has provided dignified food support to many local families.

The Hastings social supermarket will operate under the same model as other social supermarkets, allowing agency-referred individuals and families facing food insecurity to shop for groceries in a supermarket-style environment while paying only what they can afford.

Nourished for Nil chose to name the Hastings Social Supermarket Whare Whāngai, which means a place of nurturing and nourishment.

The name has been gifted by Sir Timoti Karetu, KNZM QSO CRSNZ, a leading New Zealand academic of the Māori language.

New World Hastings has been named as the buddy store, meaning it will support the social supermarket with supplies.

The existing foodbank service will continue to operate alongside the new offering.

Founder of Nourished for Nil, Christina McBeth, said expanding into Hastings was part of their vision.

“Our plan has always been to open in Hastings as we believe the need is there. A lot of people using our Napier social supermarket come from Hastings.”

The new store is just 100 metres from the distribution centre, and McBeth said it was open to those deemed eligible by an agency such as Weave Hawke’s Bay, formerly the Napier Family Centre.

 After a person or family is deemed eligible, they are booked in and allocated three shops, which is run on a point system with a small cost.

“The supermarket has the top 10% selling items in any supermarket.”

McBeth said the supermarket stocks fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, frozen items, and dairy - and even zero-point items such as bread or cereal to top up shops.

“We also have specials, so there are products that might get donated to us and we can put them on the special shelf.”

She said food insecurity had increased since Cyclone Gabrielle, and the store supported people impacted by illness and job loss, but also pensioners and people with disabilities.

“You want to make sure the people going through are genuine in need and not just people who think this is a cheaper option.”

McBeth said it was rewarding to be able to help people who struggled to put food on the table in a judgment-free and dignified experience.

“We see a lot of tears in our social supermarket.”

Willa Hand, head of social supermarket for Foodstuffs North Island, said they were thrilled to be working with Nourished for Nil again.

“These stores are about offering dignity, choice, and wraparound support to people experiencing food insecurity. The Napier store has had a great impact, and we know this new Hastings location will do the same.”

Article (c) Hawke's Bay Today, republished with thanks.