Tegel is turning one of New Zealand’s familiar family meal options into a way to support families experiencing hardship, with the launch of Charity Chook in partnership with Kindness Collective.
Throughout August and September, Tegel’s 1.7kg Tenderbasted whole chicken will become Charity Chook, with $2 from every sale donated to Kindness Collective. The nationwide charity provides practical support to children and families experiencing hardship, including through its Everyday Essentials programme.
The initiative builds on a longstanding national partnership between Tegel and Kindness Collective that already provides poultry and other food support to thousands of families each year.
Angela Irwin, Tegel general manager of sustainability and communications, says the initiative gives shoppers an opportunity to contribute through an everyday grocery purchase.
“We’ve partnered with Kindness Collective as a national partner for several years because we know that access to nutritious food can make a real difference for families,” says Irwin. “With the rising cost of living, more Kiwi families are finding it difficult to put nutritious meals on the table. Charity Chook gives shoppers a simple way to help, with every purchase supporting Kindness Collective to reach even more families. We hope it also inspires people to gather around the table and enjoy a meal together.”
Tegel says its existing partnership with the charity helps provide fresh chicken and food to more than 33,000 New Zealand families each year. Weekly deliveries of between 400 and 700 Tegel products support food boxes distributed to families across Auckland, while the company helps fund the operation of Kindness Collective’s community hub food bank.
The partnership extends beyond food donations, with Tegel supporting community events that help feed around 8,500 people annually. It also provides chicken to community partners, including Tegel freezers at New Zealand Police and Victim Support resource rooms in South Auckland.
Kindness Collective founder and chief executive Sarah Page says the partnership provides practical support to families facing difficult circumstances.
“Tegel’s national partnership with Kindness Collective allows us to support thousands of families each year with quality poultry and food, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without them,” shares Page. “Roast chicken is a well-loved Kiwi staple, so Charity Chook is a wonderful way for people to support other families through a purchase they might already be making. Every Charity Chook sold helps us provide more nutritious food to whānau in need, and for many families, a shared meal can also create valuable moments of connection around the table.”
Tegel’s Charity Chook initiative will direct 100% of the money donated from sales to Kindness Collective’s Everyday Essentials programme, which supports families referred by community partners and experiencing circumstances including poverty, homelessness, illness, disability or family violence.
The Tegel 1.7kg Charity Chook has an RRP of $15.99 and is available from August 17 to September 13, unless sold out earlier.
