Rescued

What Rescued does

Rescued (legal entity: Rescued Limited) is a New Zealand food production company headquartered at 18 George Terrace, Onehunga, Auckland, that upcycles surplus commercial bread, fruit, and vegetables into branded consumer food products and B2B ingredients. Its core technology is Rescued Bread Flour, a trademarked, Upcycled Certified ingredient produced by processing surplus bread supplied primarily by KiwiHarvest into a standardized flour with a two-year shelf life and freeze-to-thaw properties, formulated to replace traditional wheat flour at 1%-100% substitution rates. This ingredient underpins the company's consumer product portfolio: four flavored baking mixes (Chocolate, Lemon & Gin Botanicals, Savoury, Vanilla), Real Breadcrumbs in plain and herb variants, a Tomato Kasundi Chutney produced with Heirloomacy from NZ Hothouse surplus tomatoes, and the co-manufactured Remarkable Rescued Tortilla Wrap. The company sells through a multi-channel go-to-market spanning direct-to-consumer e-commerce on rescued.co.nz, retail listings in Woolworths NZ (20+ stores) and Countdown, wholesale distribution via Bidfood, and food-service partnerships with venues including H3 Group, Montana Food & Events, Pullman Hotel Auckland, and Park Hyatt. Pricing is unit-based with NZD 5.00-7.50 per consumer pack and NZD 30-40 for gift boxes, all inclusive of GST.

The business is co-led by founders Diane Stanbra (Head of Getting Things Done) and Royce Bold (Head of Operations, also the lead product developer referred to as Chef Royce) with a small supporting team. Rescued operates a hybrid B2C/B2B model: consumer packaged goods drive retail and DTC revenue, while Rescued Bread Flour is licensed as a B2B ingredient to manufacturers such as Remarkable Tortillas, and food-service sales serve catering and hospitality accounts. Revenue is generated on a one-time purchase basis with no subscription pricing. Distribution is currently New Zealand-only despite the website exposing international shipping selectors.

Rescued has built strategic positioning around circular economy credentials, holding Upcycled Certified status through the Upcycled Food Association and B Corp Certification, and participating in flagship sustainability programmes including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Big Food Redesign Challenge (five products in the production phase), XLabs alongside NZ Food Network and Food Bowl, and Countdown's Kete Accelerator. Awards include NZ Food Awards Business Innovation Winner (2024), Outstanding Food Producer Award Gold (2026, Savoury Baking Mix), Food Rescue Category Winner at End Food Waste Australia's Australian Food Waste Challenge (2024), and the Tomorrow Creative Studio Brand For Good award. The company is privately held with no institutional venture capital identified in the source material and operates primarily on grant and award-based non-dilutive funding.

Name

Rescued

Legal name

Rescued Limited

Website

https://rescued.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rescued is a New Zealand food production company that upcycles surplus bread, fruit, and vegetables into a trademarked Rescued Bread Flour ingredient and consumer products including baking mixes, breadcrumbs, tortilla wraps, and chutney, selling to retail (Woolworths, Countdown), wholesale (Bidfood), food service, and DTC e-commerce customers across New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upcycled Food Products

NAICS

Commercial Bakeries (311812), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Preserved Specialty Foods Manufacturing (Olives, Antipasto, Relishes) (AFAKACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fortified & Enriched Foods Manufacturing (Vitamins/Minerals, Iodized/Supplemented) (AFAKAJAB)

Keywords

• Upcycled food products
• Sustainable food production
• Bread flour ingredients
• Food waste reduction
• Circular economy food

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct to Consumer E-commerce: Products sold directly to consumers through the rescued.co.nz e-commerce store. Consumers purchase baking mixes, breadcrumbs, tortillas, and gift packs online.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Products distributed through wholesale channels including Bidfood for food service customers and retail chains including Woolworths and Countdown.
3. Food Service: Catering and food service sales to venues, restaurants, and event caterers including H3 Group venues, Montana Food & Events, and Pullman Hotel Auckland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rescued is a New Zealand-based food production company that upcycles surplus bread, fruits, and vegetables into branded food ingredients and consumer products. Its core innovation is Rescued Bread Flour — a trademarked, Upcycled Certified ingredient made from surplus commercial bread — which forms the foundation for a portfolio of consumer baking mixes, breadcrumbs, tortilla wraps, and condiments. Products are sold via direct e-commerce, major retail chains (Woolworths, Countdown), wholesale food service distribution (Bidfood), and hospitality partnerships.

Product overview

Rescued is an award-winning sustainable food company operating as a single unified product portfolio centered on upcycled food ingredients and consumer products. The core of the offering is Rescued Bread Flour, a trademarked and Upcycled Certified ingredient made from surplus commercial bread, which serves as the foundational input for the company's consumer-facing product lines. The consumer product range includes four flavored Baking Mixes (Chocolate, Lemon & Gin Botanicals, Savoury, and Vanilla), Real Breadcrumbs (plain and rescued herbs), and a Baking Mixes Selection Box bundle. The company also co-produces the Remarkable Rescued Tortilla Wrap — the world's first upcycled tortilla — using Rescued Bread Flour, and offers Tomato Kasundi Chutney made from rescued tomatoes in partnership with Heirloomacy. Products are available through retail (Woolworths, Countdown, specialty stores), wholesale (Bidfood), catering, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The portfolio spans B2C packaged goods, B2B food service ingredients, and gifting solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rescued Bread Flour An upcycled certified ingredient made from surplus bread with a two-year shelf life, freeze-to-thaw benefits, and the ability to replace traditional wheat flour in ratios from 1% to 100%; sold to food manufacturers as a specialty ingredient.
• Baking Mix - Chocolate A consumer baking mix made with 100% Rescued Bread Flour; consumers add 240g of rescued ingredients such as bananas or berries to make one 8-inch cake, two loaves, or 12 cupcakes.
• Baking Mix - Lemon & Gin Botanicals A cake mix made with 100% Rescued Bread Flour, rescued Good George gin botanicals, and rescued NZ lemons; prepared by adding eggs, water, and melted butter.
• Baking Mix - Savoury A savoury baking mix made with 100% Rescued Bread Flour; consumers add 240g of rescued ingredients such as spinach, cheese, or tomatoes to make two loaves or 12 muffins.
• Baking Mix - Vanilla A vanilla-flavoured baking mix made with 100% Rescued Bread Flour for making cakes and muffins.
• Baking Mixes Selection Box A gift box containing four baking mixes (Lemon & Gin Botanicals, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Savoury) and two breadcrumbs (plain and rescued herbs).
• Real Breadcrumbs (plain or rescued herbs) Real breadcrumbs made from 100% rescued bread and rescued mixed herbs, used for crumb, stuffing, or filling applications.
• Remarkable Rescued Tortilla Wrap World's first upcycled 6-inch flour tortilla wraps, co-produced with Remarkable Tortillas using Rescued Bread Flour instead of traditional flour.
• Tomato Kasundi Chutney A traditional Indian spiced chutney made from 100% rescued tomatoes; gluten-free, vegan, and made in collaboration with Heirloomacy.
• Rescued Six Pack Gift Box A gift box bundle including four baking mixes (Lemon & Gin Botanicals, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Savoury) and two breadcrumbs (plain and rescued herbs).

Quantifiable outcome

• Bread packaging is recycled for zero-waste operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• KiwiHarvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiwiHarvest supplies surplus bread that is then upcycled by Rescued into Bread Flour. This partnership provides the raw material foundation for Rescued's core product line.
• Good GeorgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlavour bomb gin botanicals are rescued and blended with rescued bread flour and rescued lemons to create a unique taste explosion. A key ingredient partnership for the Lemon + Gin Botanicals baking mix.
• HeirloomacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurplus heirloom tomatoes are transformed into a kasundi chutney that will transport you straight to India. The partnership also features the product as a guest amenity at Pullman Hotel Auckland.
• NZ HothousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tomato upcycling - tomatoes processed every which way including pulp, puree, paste, and even rescuing tomato water to create new products including tomato kasundi chutney.
• Remarkable TortillasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's first upcycled tortilla wrap collaboration. Rescued Bread Flour replaces traditional flour in Remarkable tortillas, demonstrating innovative upcycled food applications.
• Ellen MacArthur FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected for the Big Food Redesign Challenge with five products in production phase. Featured in circular economy case studies on the Foundation's website as an example of radical transparency and collaboration to eradicate food waste.
• Upcycled Food AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud members of Upcycled Food Association, promoting the easy way for everyone to prevent food waste via the products they buy. Rescued Bread Flour is Upcycled Certified through this association.
• XLabs / NZ Food Network / Food BowlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXLabs programme with NZ Food Network, NZ Food Innovation Network (Food Bowl), and Bidfood to design a circular Upcycled Food Ecosystem. XLabs provided clarity, confidence, and connections for achieving circular business goals.
• CountdowncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChosen for Countdown's Kete Accelerator Programme supporting NZ businesses to get product on shelves. Products sold at Countdown Ponsonby, St Johns, Mt Eden and Manukau City Mall stores.
• Woolworths New ZealandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRescued products including Baking Mixes and Real Breadcrumbs available at Woolworths stores across Auckland and regional NZ including Ponsonby, St Johns, Mt Eden, Manukau City Mall, Greenlane, Takapuna and many more.
• BidfoodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale food service distributor for Rescued products including Rescued Kasundi and other wholesale items. Also a partner in the XLabs programme.
• H3 Group / Montana Food & EventsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaikato-based food service partners serving Rescued muffins at H3 venues through Montana Food & Events.
• Tomorrow Creative StudiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWon the Brand For Good competition, receiving brand development support valued at $50,000 from creative studio Tomorrow to build the Rescued brand.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barnana: US brand making organic snacks (bites, chews, plantain chips) from upcycled bananas and other surplus fruit. Closely comparable CPG model: branded upcycled consumer snacks sold through mainstream retail and DTC, with Upcycled Certified status.
• Toast Ale: UK-based brewer that makes craft beer from surplus bread rescued from bakeries. Direct peer to Rescued in the upcycled surplus-bread value chain — both transform rescued commercial bread into consumer products under circular-economy narratives.
• Outcast Foods: Canadian upcycled-food company that dehydrates surplus and misshapen produce into shelf-stable ingredients and powders. Direct peer in the upcycled-ingredient category serving food manufacturers.
• Rubies in the Rubble: UK-based maker of upcycled condiments, relishes, and chutneys from surplus produce. Highly comparable business model to Rescued's Kasundi Chutney line and partner-style co-production approach.
• Renewal Mill: US-based upcycled food company that produces baking mixes, flour, and other products from recovered food byproducts (e.g., okara from soymilk production). Closest direct peer to Rescued given overlapping product format (baking mixes, alternative flour) and identical sustainability-driven positioning.

Emerging players

• The Ugly Company: US-based dried-fruit brand selling snacks made from surplus and 'ugly' fruit. Comparable upcycled CPG model with focus on fruit/vegetable surplus and retail distribution.
• Spare Food Co. Australian upcycled food startup producing snack bars and pantry products from surplus ingredients. Emerging direct peer in the upcycled-ingredient CPG category, geographically adjacent to NZ.

Others

• KiwiHarvest: NZ food rescue charity that is Rescued's primary supplier of surplus bread. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than competitor — sits upstream of Rescued in the surplus-food value chain.

Regional players

• Yume: Australian B2B marketplace that connects food manufacturers with surplus food inventory from producers. Operates in the same food-waste value chain as Rescued, focused on Australia rather than NZ.
• Wonky Box: New Zealand subscription service delivering 'ugly' and surplus produce directly to consumers. Closest NZ peer working on food-waste reduction, though operating in produce distribution rather than processing.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rescuedkitchen
• Instagraminstagram.com/rescuedkitchen
• TikToktiktok.com/@rescuedkitchen

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rescued