Based in Nelson, Aotearoa’s home of craft brewing – Mac Hops is a long-standing family-owned farm. For five generations, the McGlashen family in Motueka has produced top-quality hops, gold kiwifruit, and glasshouse-grown vegetables.
With a strong zero food-waste ethos, Mac Hops actively ensures none of their product goes to waste. Following a hailstorm in the Motueka region, it donated over 35 tonnes of gold kiwifruit to the NZFN’s distribution hub in Christchurch.
Before they donated to the NZFN, Mac Hops’ Director Brent McGlashen says they had been searching for a way to donate the leftover fruit and produce from the farm.
“We hate to see edible food go to waste when there are a lot of families and community groups out there who often don't get the opportunity to have this kind of produce on their dinner plates or in their lunchboxes.
“At times we have a substantial volume that needs to be handled by a large, organised team. The NZFN has provided us with the opportunity to shift volume and get it to the people who need it the most in a very organised way. Some produce can expire quickly so it’s paramount that the logistics and distribution all line up,” he says.
Beyond its own donations, Mac Hops assists other local growers in contributing where they can. “As farmers and growers, the last thing any of us want to see is food being disposed of.
“It gives our whole team a real buzz knowing that there are people out there who can really enjoy the taste of what we produce. No one wants to run on an empty tank,” he adds.
