The Have A Heart Charitable Trust Food Hub – Whare Kai was buzzing with activity as it opened its doors earlier this month to showcase its expanded low-cost grocery store designed to better serve the community.

Located at the Have A Heart premises on Merritt Street, the Food Hub grocery store has been operating successfully for three years.

Manager Charles Maru said growing demand prompted the team to increase the shop’s floor space and widen its product range.

“Our policy is to keep the prices as cheap as possible for the community that are struggling out there,” Mr Maru said. “We try to keep our food affordable.”

Shoppers will now find items such as Purex toilet paper, eggs and streaky bacon alongside the existing range of pantry staples, cleaning supplies, personal care products and popular frozen meat packs.

The expansion follows a customer survey carried out in January, which revealed strong demand for frozen vegetables, cleaning products, toiletries and everyday essentials like spreads.

“So, we bought those, plus a few extras,” Mr Maru said.

A feature of the Food Hub is its “reward” system. For every $10 spent in store, customers can select three free items from the free-item shop, up to a maximum of 12 items.

“At the moment with the free items we have butter, pork mince, nappies, milk, sugar, coffee, Weet-Bix – a whole range of items that we get donated every week,” he said.

Donated food comes through the New Zealand Food Network.

“We are one of 68 hubs that they supply to around New Zealand.”

Everything purchased from suppliers is sold at low cost, while donated goods are given away free.

The biggest sellers are meat packs.

“When they buy a meat pack they can select up to four different types of veges that we bag for affordable prices.”

Regular shopper Hannah Kahukiwa said she had been visiting weekly since last year.

“It is mainly because of the meat prices,” she said.

“I also get canned food and snacks for our four kids.”

The Food Hub previously distributed food parcels, particularly during Covid, but Mr Maru said the team shifted away from that model after realising it didn’t suit everyone.

“We found that people didn’t want a whole lot of stuff in the box, so they would either throw it out or give it away.”

Trust founder Chris Barnard developed the “Dignity of Choice” model now used in store.

“We make our food affordable, and people get to choose what they want to buy,” Mr Maru said. “The reward part of it is the free items.”

Most customers are from Whakatāne, although people travel from Kawerau, Ōpōtiki and even Rotorua. Last month alone, the store served 367 customers. There is no means testing or referral required, and the shop is open to everyone.

Survey results show 75 to 80 percent of customers are Māori, with most aged between 46 and 60.

“This is built on the backbone of volunteers and having a good team that are willing to come in three times a week to help us do what we do,” Mr Maru said.

The Food Hub is open on Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 2pm.