We Love Local

THANK YOU Rob De Klerk from Pronto Electrical. This awesome guy stepped up when things were looking grim for creative wellness centre, Te Ara Korowai in Raumati Beach. Not only does the not-for-profit community centre potentially loose their government funding next year, but their kitchen was in need of a new stove. Rob and the team, not only stepped up to donate a spare stove but fully installed it for them too. Rob, you are a fabulous Community Hero - enjoy the We Love Local box🥰

From as little as $2 a month, you can help us acknowledge the hard work Rob and other community individuals do to spread a little kindness in our Community
https://kapitikindness.co.nz/donations/

🌍💚 "Living in the UK, I've ordered several gifts for family in NZ from We Love Local. I've had really positive responses from them. Great gifts and love the sustainability of reusable packaging. Well done." 🌿✨

🇳🇿💌 Sending love from the other side of the world across Aotearoa! Thank you for supporting local and choosing sustainable gifting. Every order helps boost our regional economies and supports Kiwi artisans. Let's keep spreading joy and sustainability, one gift at a time. 🎁🌱

Discover the magic behind The Baked Dane, a local gem in Levin!

Founded by a Danish expatriate who turned her passion for baking into a thriving business, The Baked Dane offers fresh sourdough, crackers, and more.

From market stalls to a bakehouse and shop, their journey is one of passion, sustainability, and deep community bonds. 🌱❤️

Explore their exquisite products featured in our NZ gift boxes, bringing a taste of Manawatū-Whanganui to homes nationwide.

Support local, taste the difference, and be inspired by their story! 🍞✨

https://www.welovelocal.nz/blog/made-in-manawatu-whanganui-the-baked-dane

Meet The Lost Plot based in Greytown, Wairarapa! Discover the inspiring journey behind a family’s quest for self-sufficiency, which turned into a thriving business.

Starting with an abundance of produce from their lifestyle block, The Lost Plot identified a niche for preservative-free condiments, launching with an old family recipe.

Read more: https://www.welovelocal.nz/blog/made-in-wairarapa-the-lost-plot

Let's meet Teena and Noël from Neudorf Black - Black Garlic 🧄 — based in the Nelson Tasman Region, where a passion for New Zealand’s best black garlic turned into a mission. From saving a beloved local product to creating a brand that’s become synonymous with quality and culinary innovation, they’re enhancing Kiwi meals and health with the umami flavour that is black garlic.

Read more about their inspiring journey, deep connections to the community, and the unique spark that sets them apart:

https://www.welovelocal.nz/blog/made-in-nelson-tasman-neudorf-black-new-zealand-black-garlic

🌼 Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we're gearing up to make it extra special this year! In less than three weeks, we'll be celebrating the incredible women in our lives — mums, grandmothers, step-mums, and all the mother figures who mean the world to us.

Stay tuned to learn more about our limited edition Mother’s Day gift boxes later this week. Whether you're near or far, these boxes are a perfect way to show your appreciation and love.🌷✨

🆕 Get ready to indulge in a box full of surprises with our brand-new Mystery Gift Box! Packed with a unique selection of sweet and savoury treats, pantry favourites, and optional drinks like wine or craft beer, it’s the ultimate deal you’ve been waiting for because it represents incredible value.

🎉 Unbox a fresh experience every time
🛍️ Support local businesses in Aotearoa
💰 Incredible value in every box

For those who know and love We Love Local, this Mystery Gift Box is the perfect way to treat yourself or surprise a loved one with the best of local goodies. Order now and enjoy the thrill of unboxing something special while supporting our community!

Brews on wheels! 🍻Duncan's Brewing Co. rolled into our warehouse today, and we couldn’t ‘hop’ but smile! Here’s our very own Val, striking a pose with the driver in front of their cool van. It’s these connections that truly embody the spirit of what we do at We Love Local.

We’re thrilled to include their top-notch Kiwi brews in our Craft Beer Gift Box and Kapiti/Wellington region gift boxes. Cheers to supporting local, and here’s to the joy of discovering new favourites.

Easter Gift Box Giveaway! Is there a peep in your life who deserves a little surprise this Easter? Let’s make it happen... 🐣

Tag them in the comments for a chance to win a delightful gift box filled with delicious local goodies from OCHO, Kapiti Candy Co., Asian Food Republic, and Totara Cottage that will make their Easter even more special.

We will randomly select and announce the winner on the 24th of March, ready to send this bundle of joy hopping their way just in time for Easter. 🐰

Tag your loved ones, and they could be the lucky bunny to find these treats on their doorstep. 🪺

Incredibly humbled to have been a small part of this touching act of kindness, where Liz Jackson and Mike Elston from the Kāpiti Aero Club, upon hearing Joe Thomson's wish to experience a flying fox ride, organised a trip for him to Nelson to enjoy the Cable Bay Adventure Park Skywire Experience.

This gesture, which involved a flight from Paraparaumu to Nelson and back in a single day, was a powerful demonstration of the compassion and community spirit we strive to foster, and we are grateful for the opportunity to highlight such inspiring individuals through our partnership with the Kāpiti Kindness Trust.

Reducing our environmental impact, one box at a time. 🌏

We Love Local’s wooden box return programme is integral to our sustainability journey. It is great to see it in full swing, with NZ Post dropping off returns daily—even during the quieter periods of the year like yesterday morning.

The process is incredibly simple for recipients of our gifts. After enjoying the goodies inside, they can put the empty wooden box back in our courier packaging, add the included return courier label, and drop it at their local post shop or book a pickup using the tracking number on the return courier label.

This programme has seen significant success, with over 1,000 wooden boxes being returned and reused for gifts yearly. 🤗🌱📦

Reviews like this mean the world to us as a small business, and we’re grateful for customers like Phil who appreciate our dedication to delivering quality and joy. Thank you for choosing us as your go-to for care packages! 🎁 ”

What an incredible day out at the Martinborough Fair last month! 🎪

We enjoyed meeting new local food heroes and catching up with familiar faces. 🍽️👨‍🍳

There’s another fair scheduled for this Saturday, 2 March — if you’re in the Wellington Region, it’s definitely worth visiting! 🚗

Let’s celebrate our community together and support local businesses, such as be happy chocolate Preservation Jam Sone's Sauces The Lost Plot Glam Food Kapiti and many others! 🤝🎉

A little behind the scenes look from the 2023 silly season — even in the crazy times, we do it all with a smile! 😊

The countdown is on to the big day, just under a week to go now - we can smell the pavlova!

There is still time to get your gifts in time for Christmas! For those between Wellington and Palmerston North (excl The Wairarapa) with our local express during checkout.

Last chance to grab yours, what are you waiting for? https://www.welovelocal.nz/christmas

A little feel good for a festive Friday!

We caught up with our friends from The Shed Project Kāpiti a few weeks ago, when they came to drop off the boxes for all of those Christmas goodies.

This is such a special relationship to us and we are so grateful for their support, especially during this crazy time of year 🎄

Did you catch our very own Val in The Post yesterday?

Val is really at the core of We Love Local, always keeping morale up especially as we go into our busiest time of year - keeping everyone going with her delicious baked goodies and music!

She is an inspiration to us all, balancing her health with being a business owner and a mum ♥️

If you missed the chat with Val, you can read it here - https://www.thepost.co.nz/wellbeing/350120757/when-you-live-genetic-condition-business-stress-nothing

Only 4 days to go until the Kāpiti Food Fair, we can’t wait to see you there!

It is going to be an amazing day for the whole family to celebrate all the producers across Kāpiti, see some great entertainment and enjoy some seriously delicious food 😋

If you haven’t got your tickets yet, there is still time - https://kapitifoodfair.co.nz/tickets?src=nav

Looking for a little something for Christmas?

We have our single wine and gin boxes that are the perfect solution!

What can we pop in these single boxes?

🍷 Alexia Wines Forest Walks Chilled Red (Wairarapa)
🍷 Alana Wines Pinot Gris Christmas Edition (Wairarapa)
🍷 Alana Wines Pinot Noir Christmas Edition (Wairarapa)
🍷 Alana Wines Rosé Christmas Edition (Wairarapa)
🍷 Alana Wines Sauvignon Blanc Christmas Edition (Wairarapa)
🍸 Imagination Christmas Pudding Gin (Kāpiti)

And each box comes with an OCHO Chocolate ‘A Taste Of Christmas’ Square 🍫

You can get yours here - https://www.welovelocal.nz/shop/christmas-gift-box

It is and we are excited to be part of a day that is all about highlighting the incredible producers across New Zealand 🇳🇿

To celebrate our love of all things New Zealand-made, we are celebrating with 10% off everything on our website today!

Whether you are looking for a birthday gift, or a Christmas one - or just a little something to say thank you - make the most of this offer!

Take advantage of this one-time offer and get your Christmas shopping done early by selecting your order to be shipped later 🎁

Earlier this month, we joined Janet Holborow - Mayor of Kāpiti at a reception to celebrate local businesses that have recently received an award or qualified as a finalist!

It was a great evening to celebrate business wins across Kāpiti, and to receive our certificate for being a finalist at the Wellington Gold Awards 👏

Have you got your Christmas corporate gifting locked in yet?

We know this time of year can get crazy but that is why we have the We Love Local Christmas elves onboard to make things easier for you 🧝

Our team is here to find the perfect gifting solution - whether you are looking for colour coordination, regional treats, or bespoke branding to really make it shine!

⏱️ Our cut-off date to guarantee a delivery slot in early December is this Friday, so make sure you don't miss out!

Come and have a chat about your corporate gifting - https://www.welovelocal.nz/corporate-gifts

Do you know a little one who has a birthday coming up? Or is maybe just in need of a treat?

We are very excited to announce the launch of the perfect thing - our Tamariki Treats Kids Gift Box!

With some help from our in-house expert on all things treats, we put together a box that is packed full of local goodies that kids are going to love - you can’t go wrong with marshmallows!

Get the goodies right here - https://www.welovelocal.nz/shop/tamariki-treats-kids-gift-box

GIVEAWAY

The countdown is on for this year's Kāpiti Food Fair! Have you got your tickets yet?

This year We Love Local is a silver sponsor and we are celebrating by giving away two adult tickets 🎟️

We couldn’t be more excited to be involved with this celebration of our local artisan food producers — and to welcome everyone to the “We Love Local Kāpiti Kitchen Stage”!

To be in with a chance to win the tickets, comment on this post with a 🎁.

The giveaway will close at midday on the 17th of November 2023 and we will then contact the winner!

You can find out more about the Kapiti Food Fair right here - https://kapitifoodfair.co.nz/

Giveaway T&C’s -

♥️ One entry per person
♥️ The giveaway will open today and entries close at midday on Friday the 17th of November
♥️ The winner will be randomly selected from entrants across our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Good luck!

The October winner of We Love Local Kindness Goodie box is .. ( drum roll ) ..
Lisa Geraghty!

"Lisa Geraghty who is an amazing teacher and Mum…here are the details again: I would like to nominate Lisa Geraghty who is my sons teacher at Waikanae School. Lisa has an energy and enthusiasm for her students that extends well beyond the average. She has helped and supported my son through some really difficult times this year and I see her working with many others in her class in a similar individualised way. I watched as her students greeted her a few mornings back, (they line up and say good morning one at a time). Many hugged her (like PROPER hugs) and every single one seemed to enjoy a true connection with her. She cares for each individual she comes in contact with, appreciates, understands and responds to neurodiversity and is just such a gem. She is also a wife and Mum to a lovely young preschooler so her hands are very full, some of her kindness reflected back at her would be amazing. She is the reason my son gets to school most days and I am so grateful for her."

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Please remember it is YOUR $2 per month that makes this stuff happen so if you haven't set up your AP yet then please do!!
06 0730 0395753 000 (ANZ)

Drumroll please 🥁

It is here! We are officially kicking off the festive season with the launch of our Christmas Box!

We always have so much fun bringing this box together, like an end of year celebration for the wonderful local producers who work hard all-year round ♥️

We can't believe the time is already here, but let’s take a peek inside this year’s box...

🍷 Alana Wines Pinot Gris Christmas Edition (Wairarapa)
🥧 Arobake Mini Christmas Pies (Aro Valley)
🍰 Asian Food Republic Mini Pavlovas (Wellington)
🍮 Baron Hasselhoff’s Marj’s Yule Trifle Bar (Berhampore)
🍫 be happy Chocolate Reusable Christmas Decoration (Wairarapa)
🍬 CandyCutique Fruit Cotton Candy x 2 (Wellington)
🍅 Telegraph Hill Olivery Condimentum Festival Relish (Napier)
🍫 Forty Thieves Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Bells & Kids Chocolate Spread (Auckland)
🥤 Foxton Fizz Drink x 2 (Manawatū)
🍥 Kapiti Candy Marshmallow (Ōtaki)
🍫 La Petite Gingerbread Chocolate Bar (Thorndon)
🍪 Totara Cottage Christmas Melting Moments & Misc Festive Treat (Auckland)
🎁 Egg & Spoon Wild Fennel Co. Festive Spice (Dunedin)

Order your Christmas Gift Box here - https://www.welovelocal.nz/shop/christmas-gift-box

Just a quick personal message from our owners Valerie & Timo:

It is sad to see Xenophobia is truly alive. So to the person who just called and abused us over the phone after asking where we're from: WE DO NOT WANT YOUR BUSINESS!

Our company was founded by two Kiwis who were not born in NZ, and yes, we do have accents. But that's exactly why we started We Love Local — just two people who fell in love with Aotearoa and want to give back to our communities.

Remember, there's always a human on the other side of the phone, and we will not tolerate abuse towards us and our staff.

—Val & Timo

It has been a big year for foodie adventures and we have loved meeting new local producers who have joined the We Love Local family…

The announcement of our Northland Box earlier this week marked a very special moment for us!

We now cover all regions (with local producers available) across Aotearoa 🇳🇿

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped make this possible, from our team, to the suppliers, and of course to all of our wonderful customers!

You can read more about this journey here - https://www.welovelocal.nz/blog/we-love-local-gifts-now-delivering-local-goodness-from-all-new-zealand-regions

We are taking you on another adventure to a new foodie destination, with the release of our new Notable Northland Gift Box!

For the past few months, we have been working hard to bring you the best of each region across Aotearoa and we are so excited to announce this new box 🎁

It brings together some amazing local artisan producers from throughout Northland and we can’t wait to hear what you think…

Check out our new Notable Northland Gift Box here - https://www.welovelocal.nz/shop/notable-northland-gift-box