We are New Zealand’s longest running free store.

Together we rescue food, to serve our community and care for our planet

Rescuing food to minimise waste and support food security in our community.

Guardians of food rescue in the Manawatū

More than 746,080 people have directly received food from us since we began in 2011! (updated Sep 2025).

Our team of more than 100 volunteers is committed to kaitiakitanga – together we look after our resources.

We have removed more than 4,000 tonnes of food from the waste stream.

On average we give away approximately $85,000 worth of food each week.

We support an average of 455 people every day, who in turn support a further two people in the home – that’s about 1400-1600 people a day!

We are currently supporting 90 registered community groups, mainly in the Manawatu – Whanganui region by providing them with food on a regular basis which they, in turn, give to the people they support and help.

The only thing we ask of our customers is that they are considerate of others and only take what they need.

What we do is only possible because of the generous support of our suppliers: supermarkets, food producers, logistics companies, retailers, local hospitality industry.

We are also thankful for the amazing support of our sponsors, funders and many local professionals and businesses who support us with behind-the-scenes works.

Interested in assisting our cause? There are three ways we seek support from the community:

• Donate funds – Your contribution to Just Zilch ensures that nobody in our communities goes hungry. Help us provide food to those in need.
• Volunteer – Just a few hours of your time each week at Just Zilch can have a profound impact. Join us in combating food poverty and reducing food waste.
• Donate food – You can support those in need by donating excess food. Not only does this help reduce food waste, but it also lowers your costs and environmental footprint.