Here for Hospitality: Supporting New Zealand Hospitality

At Bidfood, we're proud to do more than supply delicious food to our customers; we also support the communities that support hospitality.

2026 has been a busy, yet challenging, year for many. Operators have felt the squeeze, and although we are seeing many green shoots as we head into the summer months, we also know there has never been a more important time to invest in our industry's people, communities and futures.

This year, Bidfood has continued to showcase a genuine commitment to the community, creating a lasting difference through partnerships, education and initiatives that help support and strengthen the New Zealand hospitality industry.

National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge (NSSCC) - August 2026

Growing future talent in New Zealand hospitality

The future of our hospitality industry lies in the development, curation and support of our upcoming industry talent, and Bidfood supports a wide array of hospitality awards across New Zealand.

We have a long tradition as sponsors of the National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge (NSSCC), which started in 2015.

We are also in the second year of our Cadet Programme – a fast-tracked, hands-on leadership development initiative that teaches core operational functions of the business.

Industry Kitchen in Auckland - Christchurch coming December 2026

Room to improve

We are passionate about enriching and supporting culinary education and opening up pathways for the next generation of hospitality professionals and emerging chefs.

Industry Kitchen, our multi-purpose test kitchen in Auckland, is designed for chefs and hospitality professionals keen to experiment, collaborate and learn.

And there's more to come, with a brand-new facility coming to Christchurch soon.

A portion of Exclusive Brands sales are donated to the Graeme Dingle Foundation

Supporting youth & wellbeing

Since 2008, Bidfood has championed the importance of youth and mental health.

Through our longstanding partnership with the Graeme Dingle Foundation, we support programmes including Kiwi Can, Stars and Project K, helping young Kiwis build confidence, resilience and critical life skills.

We have also extended our support to youth mental health charity I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, helping to provide young Kiwis with access to free counselling and mental health support.

These initiatives are supported through our Exclusive Brands range, with a portion of all sales donated to the Graeme Dingle Foundation and I Am Hope each year.

Through this partnership, every purchase helps support programmes that make a positive difference for young people across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Giving back to our communities

We believe every New Zealander deserves access to nutritious, quality food, and that we can make a positive impact both locally and nationally.

Our branches across the country support schools, healthcare and aged care facilities, providing practical food solutions and donations and helping ensure thousands of meals are delivered to Kiwis every day.

We also work with and support many local charities, food donation programmes and community initiatives, particularly those focused on food rescue and families in need.

Because supporting New Zealand hospitality means supporting the people behind it.