Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective

What Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective does

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective is a non-profit collective founded in 2019 and headquartered in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. It convenes community food organisations, iwi, hapū, government agencies, social services, and philanthropic partners to address the root causes of food-related poverty against a Te Tiriti o Waitangi and kotahitanga (collective) framework. The organisation serves as the national backbone for community food security advocacy, research, and data infrastructure, with a stated focus on Māori and Pasifika communities and systemic change rather than direct food charity.

Its core products are: the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure (AFPM), a national data dashboard tracking monthly food parcel distribution across 76+ community food sites; the annual Ka Mākona report on income adequacy and cost of living (published 2021–2023, with a 2023 edition focused on Pasifika communities); the Mana to Mana practice framework and accompanying regional workshop series; the Kai Motuhake food sovereignty research stream; and the Community Food Distributors Network, which meets online every 8 weeks. Research outputs are co-produced with academic partners such as the University of Otago's Department of Human Nutrition and the Kairos Connection Trust. Underlying technology is a standard web-based data dashboard and content platform rather than a proprietary tech stack.

The business model is non-commercial: Kore Hiakai does not sell products or services. All resources, reports, workshops, and the AFPM are made freely available. Operating income is derived from government grants (notably the Ministry of Social Development's Puta Ora Food Security Fund, a $4 million pool in 2022), philanthropic donations, and other funding partners, with governance and fiduciary oversight provided by the Kai Rawa Trust. The kaimahi (staff) team is small (7 employees), and the organisation is supported by a Strategic Leadership group and nationally distributed collective members.

Name

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective

Legal name

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective

Website

https://zerohunger.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective is a Wellington-based non-profit, founded in 2019, that convenes community food organisations, iwi, and government to address food insecurity in Aotearoa New Zealand through advocacy, research, and the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure data dashboard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Security Advocacy & Research

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resilient Livelihoods & Climate-Smart Food Security (BPADAJAH), Nutrition Governance, Policy & Coordination (SUN, National Plans) (BPADAJAL), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Food security advocacy
• Community food services
• Food insecurity research
• Social services collective
• Non-profit advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grant and Government Funding: Kore Hiakai operates as a charitable collective and does not generate commercial revenue. Funding is received from government agencies (e.g., Ministry of Social Development Puta Ora Food Security Fund), philanthropic organisations, and funding partners. The Kai Rawa Trust provides governance oversight.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and organisational donations support the collective's operations and advocacy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective is a non-profit collective that operates the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure (AFPM), a national data dashboard tracking food parcel distribution across 76+ community food organisation sites. It produces annual research reports (Ka Mākona) on income adequacy and cost of living, delivers the Mana to Mana practice framework through regional workshops, and convenes the Community Food Distributors Network to advocate for systemic policy changes addressing food insecurity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Product overview

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective operates as a collective advocacy and research organization focused on addressing food-related poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand. The organization offers a portfolio of research publications, data collection tools, and practice frameworks including the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure (a data monitoring system tracking food parcel distribution across community organizations), the annual Ka Mākona report on income adequacy and cost of living, the Mana to Mana practice framework for mana-centred food support, and the Monthly Food Parcel Dashboard for visualizing food insecurity trends. The collective also facilitates the Community Food Distributors Network and produces resources on Māori kai sovereignty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure (AFPM) A national data collection and visualisation system tracking monthly food parcel distribution across community food organisations in Aotearoa. Community foodbanks contribute data via the dashboard, enabling aggregated national visibility of food insecurity levels for advocacy, research, and communication with government, media, and the wider community.
• Ka Mākona Report An annual research publication examining income adequacy and cost of living in Aotearoa New Zealand, with particular focus on food-related poverty and its root causes. Used by policymakers, advocates, and community organisations to inform responses to food insecurity.
• Mana to Mana Framework & Workshop Series A practice framework and accompanying workshop series providing a mana-centred, culturally appropriate approach to community food support, emphasising dignity, relationships, and mātauranga Māori-informed practices in food distribution. Delivered as in-person regional workshops across Aotearoa.
• Kai Motuhake - Food Sovereignty Programme A research and advocacy programme exploring Māori kai sovereignty, examining the role of tūpuna (ancestral) knowledge, the impact of colonisation on food systems, and celebrating the reindigenisation of food systems in Aotearoa. Includes virtual hui and webinars on kai motuhake.
• Community Food Distributors Network A national network connecting food distribution organisations across Aotearoa, holding regular online forums every eight weeks to share insights, innovations, and collaborate on joint projects. The network spans from Wānaka to Kaitaia, helping connect lived community experience to decision makers and supporting AFPM data contributors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76 foodbank sites across Aotearoa contributing data to the AFPM dashboard, enabling national advocacy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Murihiku Kai CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2024On 30 April 2024, the Murihiku Kai Collective launched their regional kai framework for the Murihiku region, celebrating people across their regional food systems, identifying barriers, possibilities and actions to move towards a food secure region. Kore Hiakai works alongside regional groups developing local kai strategies.
• Kai Rawa TrustcoreOthersThe Kai Rawa Trust is the governing trust that oversees the mahi of Kore Hiakai. The Trust provides governance, fiduciary oversight, and strategic direction. New trustees are appointed to the Trust, including Pale Sauni appointed in April 2024, with further trustees welcomed at the end of June 2024.
• Healthy Families WaitakerecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthy Families Waitakere, alongside Hoani Waititi Mārae, developed the Mana Motuhake o te Kai framework for West Auckland — a local kai strategy that champions kai sovereignty for Māori. Kore Hiakai collaborates with and supports this regional framework.
• Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFRA is a key partner in the food rescue space, hosting annual hui and collaborating on food waste reduction and food redistribution. AFRA held their annual hui in partnership with the Countdown Summit on Food Waste in September 2023, featuring keynote speaker Mike Curtin of DC Central Kitchen.
• Groundwork (Te Tiriti Upskilling)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork provides Te Tiriti upskilling courses and resources, including a 2.5-hour self-paced online workshop covering pre-treaty relationships, Te Tiriti, colonisation impacts, and actionable steps. Kore Hiakai has appreciated Groundwork's companionship on their Tiriti journey and recommends their courses.
• The Good FalesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKore Hiakai is exploring a joint project with The Good Fale examining how the role of employers and adequate incomes can aid food security for Pacific communities in Aotearoa.
• University of OtagosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered Nutritionists from Otago's Department of Human Nutrition Masters programme co-designed the AFPM nutritional resources, assessing recommended nutritional adequacy of standard food parcels across food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, dairy).
• Kairos Connection TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKairos Connection Trust co-designed the AFPM resources with Kore Hiakai, testing nutritional recommendations and helping refine materials to equip front-line kai distributors supporting whānau receiving food parcels.
• PROOF CanadasupportingOthersPROOF Canada is an interdisciplinary research program studying effective policy approaches to reduce household food insecurity. Kore Hiakai references their research, noting Canada has similar food insecurity levels to Aotearoa (around 1 in 5 households), with similar demographic impacts on ethnic minorities and women in single-parent households.
• Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai (Our Land and Water)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKore Hiakai participates in hui with Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, exploring how Māori ethics and values can drive entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability in primary production. Featured projects include Pā to Plate, which supports marae communities transforming land into market gardens.
• Rākau TautokosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRākau Tautoko runs a garden mentoring programme (including chicken care) that has been shown to increase food security in wider communities by creating a culture of swapping resources. They are part of the Aotearoa Kai Journey leading the Kai Central digital platform.
• Eat NZsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEat NZ and Ngāi Tahu co-host Feast Matariki and the Shortest Meal on the Shortest Day initiative. Kore Hiakai collaborates on food systems events and the Our Kai Stories project celebrating rangatahi engagement with kai.
• Foodstuffs (partnering with Ngāti Toa)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira opened the first self-serve foodbank in partnership with Foodstuffs (supermarket operator), offering wraparound services including housing, employment, training, social services and mental health support alongside food assistance.
• Mana Kai Mana Ora (Western Bay of Plenty)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Bay of Plenty Kai Resilience Network, coordinated by Amy Board, brought together community kai organisations across the region. Their vision is 'Mana Kai, Mana Ora – Kai Secure and Well Connected by 2030.' Hosted at the Good Neighbour Trust.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Eat New Zealand: Aotearoa-based food movement organisation promoting local food culture, kai sovereignty, and sustainable food systems. Comparable as a peer in the New Zealand food sovereignty and food culture space, with documented collaboration with Kore Hiakai.
• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food relief organisation, coordinating food distribution and producing national food insecurity research. Comparable as a trans-Tasman peer in the food security NGO space, though materially larger in scale.

Direct peers

• WhyHunger: US non-profit focused on ending hunger and advancing food justice through advocacy, grassroots organising, and movement building. Comparable in centering food sovereignty and systemic change rather than food charity, similar to Kore Hiakai's kotahitanga framing.
• Foodbank New Zealand: National food bank network operating across Aotearoa New Zealand. Directly comparable as a domestic peer coordinating food distribution across many of the same community food organisations Kore Hiakai works with, though Kore Hiakai's role is more advocacy/research-led versus foodbank's logistics-led.
• KiwiHarvest: Aotearoa-based food rescue organisation redistributing surplus food to community organisations. Directly comparable as a domestic peer in the food security ecosystem, with Kore Hiakai referring to similar issues around reduced rescued food from supermarkets.
• Second Harvest (Canada): Canada's largest food rescue organisation with research and policy components, including food waste and food insecurity data work. Comparable in combining food distribution network data with research and policy advocacy at a national level.
• The Food Foundation (UK): UK charitable think tank focused on food insecurity, food poverty, and systemic food system change. Highly comparable in combining nationally relevant research, policy advocacy, and data on food access — mirroring Kore Hiakai's Ka Mākona and AFPM model.
• FoodTank: Global non-profit food policy think tank producing research, hosting events, and convening stakeholders on sustainable food systems. Comparable in combining research, advocacy, and network convening in the food security/food sovereignty space.
• PROOF Canada: University of Toronto-based interdisciplinary research program identifying effective policy approaches to reduce household food insecurity. Directly comparable as a research-driven food insecurity evidence partner, and an existing knowledge-sharing partner of Kore Hiakai.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam New Zealand: New Zealand arm of a global INGO with food security and inequality programmes. Comparable as a larger, broader incumbent operating in the food security and poverty advocacy space that Kore Hiakai occupies at a national collective level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/korehiakai
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kore-hiakai-zero-hunger-collective

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective