Supie springs to life

SUPIE SPRINGS

TO LIFE

Words by Glenys Christian

Supie founder, Sarah Balle, wants to cut food wastage by reducing the number of steps from producer to consumer

Sarah Balle grew up on a Pukekohe vegetable farm and saw for herself the increasing wastage involved in getting produce to consumers.

So two years ago she decided to focus full-time on setting up Supie, an online supermarket aiming to cut waste by linking producers and consumers more closely. It was launched in Auckland in May, with plans to roll it out progressively to the rest of the country as demand grows.

“I’ve been around the industry my entire life, so quality healthy and affordable food has always been a passion of mine,” she says.

While Sarah trained and worked as an accountant, she’s had exposure to the family business Balle Brothers, throughout her life, as her father, Kevin, is one of the seven brothers. Her siblings have now all ventured out into their own vegetable growing enterprises.

“Predictably I spent school holidays as I was growing up in the paddocks, clipping and bagging onions, of which I still have fond memories.”

She was determined to make buying and selling food in New Zealand fair and transparent by reducing the middlemen, giving consumers a better way to shop for food online. And her solution she believes will help reduce food waste and the impact it has on the environment along with helping to tackle food poverty.

The idea of Supie came from a growing frustration at seeing first-hand how much food was wasted as a large amount of growers’ produce didn’t reach the exacting standards of supermarkets, as well as seeing the small margins growers achieved.

“Year after year nothing was being done,” she says.

There’s an estimated 14 million kilograms of food waste in New Zealand annually, and with half of that coming from fruit and vegetables that means $1 billion worth is being thrown away. The carbon emissions created from dumping it in landfill would take an estimated 150,000 cars being removed from our roads to offset. And it is believed 170,000 New Zealand children are currently living in food poverty.

Sarah says that to truly make an impact and change for good, Supie wanted to flip the traditional supermarket model on its head.

“To do this, from day one our focus is entirely on our partners and customers.”

She has worked hard to build trusted relationships directly with local growers, farmers and food producers, spending the past 18 months travelling the country talking to them while sourcing products from over 100 of them for her online store.

“They care a lot about quality, transparency, and hold sustainable values at heart,” she says.

“They are people who are dedicated to bringing you the highest quality and freshest food you can get – and New Zealand vegetable growers understand this more than anyone.”

That support means Supie can offer some of the best vegetables grown in the country to those who join as members. And she believes the website could break down the traditional barriers around how conventional supermarkets treat smaller New Zealand producers and brands.

“We welcome and allow smaller brands and artisans to sell their products without jumping through lengthy hoops, and with 100% transparency on the margin,” she says.

“Not only does this help local businesses reach new consumers, it gives Kiwis access to locally made products that they typically can’t get at the larger traditional supermarkets.”

She doesn’t believe Supie will be in competition with their food delivery services or those of meal kit delivery companies such as Hello Fresh and My Food Bag.

“We don't look at what traditional supermarkets or food delivery companies are doing in the space,” she says.

“The similarity is simply that we’re based online and we deliver food to our customers’ doors.”

Supie’s warehouse has been set up in South Auckland where personal shoppers will pack customers’ orders as they come in for the over 2,500 items stocked at present. As well as fruit and vegetables there will be a range of grocery staples available such as milk, cereal, spreads, pet food and toilet paper. In keeping with Supie’s aims, sustainable delivery systems will be used, along with reusable packaging.

‘Supie+’ early access membership is being offered at $14 a month through its website with free delivery on orders over $70 and free product samples. A standard membership is also available where customers pay as they order. And from 2% to 10% cashbacks are offered on all products purchased, which customers can use later or donate.

Sarah says being member-based means Supie is able to grow sustainably as a company from regional through to national coverage.

“We have big plans and have mapped out how this may look over the next five to 10 years, although they’re still under wraps.”

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