Just Zilch - Palmerston North's Free Store

What Just Zilch - Palmerston North's Free Store does

Just Zilch, formally The Free Store Charitable Trust, is a New Zealand non-profit food rescue organization founded in 2011 in Palmerston North by Rebecca Culver and operating the country's longest-running free store. It rescues surplus food from 80+ local businesses — including Woolworths, Fonterra, Foodstuffs, bakeries, and cafés — and redistributes it at no charge to individuals experiencing food insecurity and to 90-107 registered community groups across the Manawatu-Whanganui region. The operation is built on a lean paid staff of approximately 3 part-time employees supported by 100+ volunteers; there is no proprietary technology layer, and the workflow is manual collection, sorting, and distribution executed via an owned truck/van and routed pickups, increasingly augmented by the Food Hub network linking suppliers with downstream community groups. Since inception, the organization has distributed over 4 million kilograms of food, supplied 9+ million meals, served roughly 455 people daily directly (with 1,400-1,600 daily total impact once downstream community groups are included), and prevented a claimed 10.7+ million kilograms of CO₂ emissions.

The revenue model is fully philanthropic and diversified across recurring individual donations (Friends of Just Zilch starting at NZ$10/month), tiered corporate sponsorships (Gold NZ$5,980/year, Silver NZ$2,392/year, Bronze NZ$1,196/year), grants from 18+ regional and national funders, payroll giving, bequests, and fundraising events. Distribution economics are highly favorable: weekly rescued food value averages ~NZ$85,000 (approx. NZ$4.4M per year annualized in-kind) against a paid headcount of ~3 part-time roles, yielding significant operating leverage from volunteer labor. Recipients are not means-tested and are not charged, so the model is wholly dependent on continued donor, volunteer, and food-supplier goodwill. Strategic posture has shifted in 2023-2024 from single-site charity retail toward a multi-program ecosystem (Food Hub, Just Zilch Harvest, Senior Time) supported by a 2024 facility renovation to relieve binding capacity constraints.

Name

Just Zilch - Palmerston North's Free Store

Legal name

The Free Store Charitable Trust

Website

https://justzilch.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Just Zilch is a New Zealand non-profit operating the country's longest-running free store, rescuing surplus food from 80+ businesses and redistributing it at no cost to individuals and 90+ community groups across the Manawatu-Whanganui region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Community food redistribution
• Charitable food bank
• Surplus food collection
• Free food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Palmerston North

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals. Monthly giving program 'Friends of Just Zilch' starting at $10/month. One-time donations via Givealittle, bank transfer, or in-person at store. Donations are tax-deductible (CC49193).
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Tiered sponsorship packages: Gold ($5,980/year or $115/week), Silver ($2,392/year or $46/week), Bronze ($1,196/year or $23/week), all GST inclusive. Includes partner logo placement and recognition.
3. Grant Funding: Support from grant funders including Central Energy Trust, ECCT, Catalytic Foundation, Perpetual Guardian, Sargood Bequest, PNCC, Lottery Grants Board, COGS, MSD, Thomas George Macarthy Trust, Lion Foundation, Pub Charity Limited, Simplicity Foundation, Page Trust, ENM, Mercury, Ventia, Meridian Energy, and Grassroots Trust.
4. Payroll Giving: Payroll giving program allowing employees to donate directly from salary with immediate 33.33% tax rebate applied each pay period. Employers facilitate deductions through payroll system.
5. Bequests/Gifts in Wills: Bequest program allowing supporters to leave gifts in wills to The Free Store Charitable Trust (CC49139). Donors can specify use (general operations or specific purpose like van purchase) or leave unrestricted.
6. Fundraising Events: Event-based fundraising including raffles ($5-$10 tickets), community dinners ($185 individual, $1,450 table of 8), fudge fundraisers ($7/bag, $30/tray), and seasonal campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Just Zilch rescues surplus food from local supermarkets, bakeries, cafes and food producers (including Woolworths, Foodstuffs and Fonterra), then collects, sorts and redistributes it free of charge to community members in need. A physical Free Store at 248 Featherston Street serves walk-in individuals with no ID or means-testing, while a Food Hub channels bulk food to 90-107 registered community groups across the Manawatu-Whanganui region. The operation is run by 100+ volunteers and a small paid staff.

Product overview

Just Zilch is New Zealand's longest-running free store (operating since 2011) offering a single unified charitable service focused on food rescue and redistribution. The core product is the Free Store, where community members access free food without criteria or ID. Supporting modules include the Food Hub (supplying community groups), Just Zilch Harvest (produce rescue from gardens), and Senior Time (dedicated hours for 65+). Fundraising products include Friends of Just Zilch recurring donations, Payroll Giving, Corporate Sponsorship packages, and Gifts in Wills. The organization operates with 100+ volunteers and supports 90+ community groups, distributing approximately $85,000 worth of food weekly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Store Walk-in free food distribution at the Palmerston North store (248 Featherston Street). Open to anyone with no ID, no paperwork, no means-testing and no criteria - visitors may collect once per day only what they need for that day. Operates Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 1-2:30pm and 4:30-6pm, Wed 1-2pm reserved for seniors (65+) and 4:30-6pm open to all.
• Food Rescue Service End-to-end food rescue service: surplus food is collected by volunteers from local supermarkets, cafes, bakeries and food producers, sorted and stocked on shelves, then distributed free to people in need. Partner donors include Woolworths (5 Palmerston North stores), Foodstuffs, Fonterra, Americold and Toll Group.
• Food Hub

Quantifiable outcome

• 655,952+ transactions and 4,059,945 kg of food distributed since 2011
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Woolworths New Zealand (Countdown)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary food rescue partner. Five Woolworths stores around Palmerston North (Rangitikei St, The Plaza, Broadway, Kelvin Grove, Awapuni) support Just Zilch as part of Woolworths' Food Rescue programme. Woolworths' programme donates more than $3.5 million dollars of food annually to food bank charities throughout New Zealand.
• OBOcoreOthersGold Sponsor. Palmy success story designing and manufacturing sports protection products sold into 62 countries globally. 68% of all hockey goal keepers at the last Olympics used OBO. Supports Just Zilch 'because we really care about our wonderful city.'
• Advanced AccountingcoreOthersGold Sponsor. Manawatū-based accounting firm 'more than just accountants.' Values relationships with clients and passionate about helping businesses thrive.
• Steve's Tyre Auto CarecoreOthersGold Sponsor. Car servicing, repairs, warrant of fitness, brakes, tyres, wheels, electrical installs and batteries. Pride themselves in customer service.
• Orbit Medical Centre (Dr Ben Gilmore)coreOthersGold Sponsor. General practice aiming to provide quality healthcare to families.
• Palmerston North AirportcoreOthersGold Sponsor. Best regional airport in the country. Donates more than $100,000 annually to organizations making a difference in sports, arts, culture, heritage, and environmental projects. Just Zilch recognized as 'going above and beyond every day to support our communities.'
• Mitre 10minorOthersSilver Sponsor. Locally owned with deep roots in communities. Supports hundreds of local initiatives each year including schools, clubs, charities, and not-for-profits. Mitre 10 Helping Hands programme delivers practical hands-on help.
• Strategen BrokingminorOthersBronze Sponsor. Member of PSC Connect, network of experienced insurance broking specialists helping small to medium organizations across NZ and Australia.
• Coatex PaintingminorOthersBronze Sponsor. Specialized coatings company located in Palmerston North providing high-quality industrial and commercial coating solutions. Committed to community upliftment.
• Everflow Plumbing and GasminorOthersBronze Sponsor. Local team of highly skilled plumbing professionals committed to delivering top-notch service with integrity and transparency. Led by Chris Fenn.
• AmericoldminorOthersCold storage and logistics partner donating surplus food. One of 80+ food donors in the region.
• FonterraminorOthersMajor food producer and donor. Head of Innovation for paediatric nutrition at Fonterra (Angela Rowan) serves on Just Zilch Board.
• FoodstuffsminorOthersSupermarket chain and food rescue partner donating surplus food. Part of the food rescue ecosystem.
• Toll GroupminorOthersLogistics partner supporting food transportation and distribution.
• Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association supporting the food rescue sector in Aotearoa New Zealand to prevent food waste and nourish communities. Just Zilch is listed as member for Taranaki & Manawatu-Whanganui region. AFRA produces resources, videos, and networking for food rescuers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army New Zealand: Operates food banks and community food programmes across New Zealand through its national network. Overlaps with Just Zilch in food insecurity support but as part of a much broader social services portfolio.
• Foodbank New Zealand: National network of food banks across New Zealand. Provides broader incumbent footprint in the same hunger-relief / food distribution space, but focused on foodbank rather than free-store model.

Direct peers

• SecondBite: Australian food rescue organization redistributing surplus food to community organizations. Same surplus-to-need value proposition and direct distribution to vulnerable populations model.
• OzHarvest: Australia's largest food rescue organization with similar model of rescuing surplus food from businesses and redistributing to charities. Closest international comparable in terms of operational model, scale, and volunteer-driven structure.
• KiwiHarvest: New Zealand's largest food rescue organization, redistributing surplus food from businesses to communities in need. Operates the same core food rescue model across multiple NZ regions, making it the closest direct peer.
• Kaibosh Food Rescue: Wellington-based food rescue charity collecting surplus food from businesses and redistributing to community groups. Operates an essentially identical surplus-food-to-need model in a different NZ region.
• FareShare Australia: Australian charity cooking rescued food into meals for people in need. Adjacent food rescue model with similar volunteer-driven operations and community beneficiary base.

Regional players

• Auckland City Mission: Major Auckland-based social services organization operating food banks and community support. Comparable mission and target beneficiary base, but operates in a different NZ region with a broader social services remit.
• Wellington City Mission: Wellington-based social services organization operating food banks and community support. Similar mission and beneficiary focus but operates in a different region with broader social services mandate.

Others

• Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA): Industry association supporting New Zealand's food rescue sector. Just Zilch is a member; AFRA provides sector coordination, resources, and networking rather than direct food distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/justzilch
• Instagraminstagram.com/justzilch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/justzilch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Just Zilch - Palmerston North's Free Store