Tēnā koutou katoa,
Thank you for your support of the school lunches programme which provides a nutritious lunch to 242,000 students across New Zealand every school day. Ka Ora, Ka Ako prioritises delivering nutritious, tasty meals that support children to learn and thrive. We know learning is often easier when students have a full stomach.
We are pleased to introduce the Ka Ora, Ka Ako pānui to provide you with updates across the programme.
This is one of the biggest food programmes in New Zealand.
While we anticipated some implementation issues in Term 1, there were more challenges than expected with the move to the alternative provision model. We acknowledge the impact this had on schools, students, and your community.
Thank you for your commitment to making sure students receive lunch and your willingness to adapt to the programme changes this year.
Term 2 has started well across all delivery models, and I am looking forward to visiting more schools to see the great work you do for the programme.
If you need any support, reach out to your senior advisor or email us.
Email: [email protected]
Kia ora rawa atu
Andrew
Programme Director
School survey#
It’s important for us to know how the programme is going at your school or kura. We will be sending out a survey by the end of June to get your thoughts on how we can continue to improve the programme.
Guide for a food safety incident#
Food safety is important to us and all our suppliers. We take food safety incidents seriously. All incidents are investigated, and we work closely with New Zealand Food Safety. Once the outcome is known, the findings are sent to the school principal.
In the unlikely event your school has a food incident, it's important you follow the guidance below:
- Retain the meal and packaging – it’s important you don’t throw the meal away.
- Refrigerate the meal to prevent deterioration/bacteria growth - clearly label it “do not use” in the fridge.
- If a foreign object has been found in the meal, retain it.
- Call your Ka Ora, Ka Ako senior advisor within 2 hours of the incident taking place.
- Your senior advisor will work with you to collect detailed information about the incident to support the investigation.
- We will arrange for the meals and any foreign object to be picked up.
If your senior advisor is away, email our team.
Email: [email protected]
School Lunch Collective model update#
There have been nearly 8 million meals delivered to schools across the country this year.
We acknowledge the challenges with the school lunches last term and appreciate this was difficult for schools and students. Our expectation is the School Lunch Collective (SLC) will meet all service levels and deliver nutritious, tasty meals on time each school day.
As expected with large food programmes, if something goes wrong, we want to hear directly from you. We have seen significant improvement the SLC performance this term and we will continue to monitor service levels.
Term 2 menu#
Student feedback has been helpful with guiding Term 2 menu items. The SLC have adjusted recipes in response to student feedback, such as ‘less pepper’ and ‘more gravy’. In Term 2, there has been a 42% increase in the amount of positive and neutral feedback on meals compared to Term 1.
Weekly menus and daily photographs of lunches are available on the SLC website.
School Lunch Collective website
Cambro go-boxes#
Thank you to all the schools who send back their black Cambro boxes that the meals arrive in every day.
If you find any floating around the school, please return them to the drivers. If there is no secure place to leave your boxes for pick up, or you have boxes to be returned, please contact your SLC Area Manager.
Delivery innovation#
For over 99% of schools across the country, delivery has been in-full and on time this term.
To provide more support, the SLC is currently testing a system that offers live automatic delivery updates on how your lunches are travelling, providing a timestamped photograph when meals arrive at school.
We also know that major roadworks can cause delays. The SLC are working with Waka Kotahi to get a clear picture of disruptions, and they have committed to notifying you directly if there are any delays affecting deliveries.
Daily delivery numbers by day are available on the SLC website.
School Lunch Collective website
Portal and contact details#
The online ordering portal makes it possible for schools to plan one week ahead based on attendance and dietary requirements for students.
If your school is having trouble using the portal or have any questions, contact the SLC contact centre from 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday.
Phone: 0800 586 243
Email: [email protected]
Or contact your SLC area manager who is also there to support you.
Additionally, reach out to our team if you need support or have feedback.
Email: [email protected]
In the news#
Hawke’s Bay school praises new lunches (New Zealand Herald, 26 March 2025)
Central Hawke’s Bay College in Waipukurau has been involved in the programme since its inception in 2020. Read about its journey and how students and staff alike are enthusiastically embracing the alternative provision model.
Internal model update#
Menu submissions#
Please continue to provide us with a copy of your menu each term. The menus are important as they are part of our auditing and reporting process and provide some assurance that lunches meet the Nutrition Standards.
We’ve streamlined our menu review process. You can serve your proposed menu without waiting for the results of our review. If we identify any changes that are needed, our team will get in touch.
If you haven’t already, submit your menu to [email protected].
If you need support or have any queries, reach out to your senior advisor.
Wholesale supplier update#
Gilmours (Foodstuffs) is the preferred wholesale supplier for the North Island and Trents for the South Island.
A wholesale supplier allows internal model schools and kura access to pre-negotiated pricing on wholesale food items and packaging for the school lunch programme only.
To gain access to these deals, there is a specific Ka Ora, Ka Ako account for schools and kura to use to purchase products for their lunch programme products.
To set up a Gilmours account, email them.
Email: [email protected]
Workshops#
Online update session
Gilmours will be running an online update session on Tuesday 10 June from 3.30 to 4.15pm (postponed from today).
What will be covered in the session:
- Update on the ingredient price list for Term 2 2025.
- How to request new products onto Gilmours online portal and how new requests will be processed.
- Answering any questions that have been sent through to the Ka Ora, Ka Ako team.
If you have any questions for Gilmours, contact your senior advisor or email Jane Orsman.
Email: [email protected]
Business Continuity Planning workshop
An online introductory business continuity planning (BCP) workshop is being offered on Tuesday 17 June from 3:30 to 4:00pm. It will cover the basic steps involved in creating a BCP, including mitigation planning for potential disruptions in lunch provision.
If you would like to attend, RSVP to [email protected] (cc your Senior Advisor) with your name and the name of your school and kura.
A calendar appointment with a link to the Teams meeting will be sent to you.
Cost-effective recipes quantity calculator#
If you haven’t used the quantity calculator yet, it’s a convenient tool to help calculate order amounts required to make each recipe based on roll numbers. You can use the cost-effective recipes quantity calculator.
Cost-effective recipes quantity calculator – Ka ora, Ka ako website
In the news#
Bay of Islands College excels with quality school lunches on budget (New Zealand Herald, 11 March 2025)
Bay of Islands College is on the internal model for the Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme. Read about how the college delivers healthy, nutritious, and delicious lunches prepared and served by its students and staff.
Bay of Islands College excels with quality school lunches on budget – New Zealand Herald
Iwi/hapū model#
Workshops#
Online update session
Gilmours will be running an online update session on Tuesday 10 June from 3.30 to 4.15pm (postponed from today).
What will be covered in the session:
- Update on the ingredient price list for Term 2 2025.
- How to request new products onto Gilmours online portal and how new requests will be processed.
- Answering any questions that have been sent through to the Ka Ora, Ka Ako team.
If you have any questions for Gilmours, contact your senior advisor or email Jane Orsman.
Email: [email protected]
Business Continuity Planning workshop
An online introductory business continuity planning (BCP) workshop is being offered on Tuesday 17 June from 3:30 to 4:00pm. It will cover the basic steps necessary to develop a BCP, including mitigation planning for potential disruptions in lunch provision.
If you would like to attend, RSVP to [email protected] (cc your senior advisor) with your name and the name of your kura or school.
A calendar appointment with a link to the Teams meeting will be sent to you.
In the news#
Tea-toweltanga – A key ingredient for whānau-focused catering (Te Karere, 2 April 2025)
In the Far North, Ani Leef’s catering business is thriving with a strong emphasis on employing whānau | families and serving lunches to local schools. One essential part of the business is ensuring each kaimahi have a strong sense of ‘tea-toweltanga’. Watch a brief video to learn how Ani is contributing to the Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme.
Wild Lunch - Wild Lunch: Kai Motuhake at Waikirikiri (7 Sharp, 14 May 2025)
At Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri, the Wild Lunch – Kai Motuhake kaupapa is more than just a meal — it’s a movement. Grounded in mātauranga Māori, this initiative reconnects our tamariki | children and wider whānau | family to the whenua | land, to each other, and to the whakapapa | origins of our kai | food. Through wild-sourced kai like venison, kaimoana | seafood, and seasonal vegetables, our kura is creating real opportunities for learning, leadership, and lifestyle change. Our tamariki are involved in every part of the journey — from hunting and harvesting to preparing and serving. They’re not just being fed, they’re being empowered. Watch 7 Sharp to learn more.
(Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri is an internal model school, but its practices of food sovereignty align with iwi/hapū practices which is why we have included this story here.)
