Forward - Whangārei's first plastic free wholefoods store.

Forward - Whangārei's First Plastic Free Wholefoods Store.

Project 2018-10-24 19:35:56 +1300

The face behind Forward...

Kia ora whānau, my name is Laura Welsby and I am the founder of Forward. Thanks for visiting my PledgeMe page. Here is a little introduction about myself and the journey that led to the creation of Forward.

Originally from the UK, I left seven years ago to travel the world and what a trip it was. In 2015, I spontaneously found myself in Whangārei and instantly fell in love with this special place. I now feel honoured to call it my home. My background is in the Not-For-Profit sector but I have always had a passion for food and the environment. During my travels I saw first-hand the devastating effects of plastic pollution, so I decided to start lowering my consumption and thus my plastic-free journey began. However working full-time and trying to get to three or four different shops in order to avoid plastic was so hard.

So that's why I set about to create Forward, a one stop shop for plastic-free food. My aim is simple; for the community to be able to fill up their cupboards without filling up their bins with wasteful packaging.

What will I stock?

I will aim to stock as many products as possible without plastic. Over the last nine months I have been busy connecting with suppliers that stock a large selection of produce. This includes but is not limited to; pasta, rice, seeds, grains, nuts, pulses, flours, superfood powders, coffee and tea.

It's easy, order online and I will lovingly package your wholefoods in bags made from a stone by product, which you can put in your home compost or paper recycling. Your order will be ready to collect the next day from the container shop in Whangārei CBD.

Inside the store I will stock wet products such as; oils, vinegars, cleaning products, shampoos etc. Bring your container and fill up yourself or pay a little bit extra when ordering online and I will fill a glass jar for you. I will also have an assortment of household and personal care alternatives available. Eventually I am aiming to partner with local farms so that customers can add on fresh groceries to their order; and I am also hoping a little further down the line to stock local milk, eggs and cheese.

What will the money be spent on?

Bulk stock doesn't come cheap. Almost all of the money will be spent on the first order of bulk stock, with a small proportion going towards packaging i.e. the stone 'paper' bags and glass jars.

Rewards...

Donate $50 or over and I will give you a voucher for 50% of the value of your donation when the store opens; i.e. spend $50 and get a $25 voucher. I will also give you the biggest thank you when you drop by! Remember you only pay if I reach my full goal. Please help me spread the word by sharing and telling your friends and whānau about Forward.

Why support Forward?

At Forward, planet and purpose will always come before profit. I want to empower our community to look after the environment while they shop. I also care about making healthy food accessible to all and encouraging people to connect with our whenua and kai. I will support local suppliers where possible and want the profits to go back into caring for our community. 

Follow our journey Forward...

Facebook: www.facebook.com/forward

Instagram. www.instagram/forward

Website: www.forwardwhangarei.co.nz

Thank you so much for your support.

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