Few efforts deserve a bigger celebration than an initiative that nourishes an entire community. We have long believed that everyone, no matter their circumstances, deserves a seat at the table with fresh, wholesome bread. The Bread Project Charitable Trust and Bread & Butter Bakery share this philosophy. Together, they have filled homes across New Zealand with the comforting aroma of more than 100,000 sourdough loaves and fruit buns, delivered in partnership with the New Zealand Food Network, Auckland City Mission, and local food banks.
This heartening effort is philanthropy with purpose at its core, woven into the very fabric of their business. Each day, Bread & Butter sets aside a generous share of its oven-fresh, naturally fermented sourdough for NZFN and Auckland City Mission, who ensure these loaves reach families who need them most. This is not day-old bread languishing on the shelves; it is the same golden, crusty bread you would find at any Bread & Butter cafe, fresh from the oven.
“The Bread Project was established to expand on a commitment to making real bread accessible to more people — regardless of circumstance,” says Bread & Butter’s co-owner, Simon Henis.
Launched in early November, the initiative has already soared past its goal of 1,000 loaves a day, delivering an astonishing 80,000 kilograms of fresh bread to those who need it most. These beautifully crafted loaves have found their way to 33 food hubs, brightening tables in 23 cities and across eight regions.
“It looks (and tastes) like something you’d get from a top-notch bakery, definitely something people would choose themselves if they had the option,” said a staff representative at Auckland’s Kindness Collective. “It definitely adds a sense of value to the food parcels we provide, and recipients have been genuinely surprised and delighted to receive such high-quality bread.”
“It’s incredibly meaningful to receive intentional donations like this, where the food is made exclusively for the purpose of helping people,” explains the chief executive of NZFN, Gavin Findlay.
“We, alongside so many organisations, are working hard to rescue excess kai from food businesses to help address our country’s concerning food waste levels. The Bread Project is a heartening example of how businesses can play a critical role in supporting Kiwis doing it tough, ensuring food support isn’t just an afterthought, but is intentionally baked into their operations.”
“Demand for food support continues to rise, and this kind of intentional donation is an inspiration to the whole corporate sector,” Findlay adds. “We know times are tough for everyone, but if business leaders could take a moment to think about how we could work together to give back to the community, the collective impact would be huge.”
