The Kitchen Project’s 2025 Annual Report reflects a year of expansion, deeper impact, and growing recognition across Tāmaki Makaurau’s food landscape.
Over the past 12 months, our programme supported 20 new food ventures, delivered across both the central city and Pukekohe. Today, our alumni food businesses are found across Auckland, in local markets, festivals and restaurants, continuing to grow their presence and customer base.
This year also saw national recognition for our entrepreneurs, with seven medals awarded at the 2025 Outstanding Food Producer Awards.
Our community partnership with Perfectly Imperfect with the Whare Kai store redistributed over 25,000kg of rescued produce to students and local communities.
We also partnered with the University of Auckland, delivering hands-on cooking classes using rescued produce, helping students build confidence in the kitchen while promoting accessible, healthy eating.
Place-based initiatives like Kai Franklin brought new energy to Franklin’s food scene, with three major events hosted over the year, connecting local chefs, producers, and communities through shared food experiences.
As The Kitchen Project’s continues to evolve, we remain committed to supporting culturally grounded food entrepreneurship, delivering community-led food experiences, and building long-term pathways for inclusive economic growth and community wellbeing.
