New report warns Queenstown Lakes faces unprecedented food demand – but presents a pivotal opportunity to rebuild a home-grown food economy. 

A Wake-Up Call for Queenstown Lakes 

Queenstown Lakes will need at least double – and possibly triple – its current food supply by the mid-2050s, according to a major new Food Resilience Report released this week by Wao Aotearoa and the Southern Lakes Kai Collective (SLKC). 

The report is the most comprehensive food study ever undertaken in the region, mapping what we eat, how it arrives, and where our vulnerabilities lie. 

“This report should be a wake-up call,” says Babu Blat, who coordinates the Southern Lakes Kai Collective. “We currently truck or fly in 95% of the food we consume, and the six supermarkets in our district carry less than a week’s worth of stock. In the event of a major weather event or an Alpine Fault earthquake, our shelves could be bare in days. That’s how exposed we are.” 

The Numbers That Can’t Be Ignored 

• In 2023, the district required 34,748 tonnes of food per year – with 95% imported.
• By the mid-2050s, demand will reach 63,000–95,000 tonnes per year. 
• Households send an average of 3.71 kg of food waste to landfill every week, totalling 122 tonnes weekly. 
• One-third of kerbside bins surveyed contained edible food. 

Visitors spent $860 million on food and beverage services in the year to March 2024.

• By the mid-2030s, peak-day population in Queenstown Lakes may exceed Dunedin’s resident population. 

From Analysis to Action 

The report doesn’t just highlight problems – it lays out solutions. 

The Southern Lakes Kai Collective (SLKC) was formed in 2024, following a district-wide hui of growers, mana whenua, hospitality leaders, social agencies, and council. Its mission: to design and facilitate the delivery of a roadmap for food resilience. 

“The Collective acts as both a think-tank and a project kickstarter,” says Blatt. “Our first three moves are clear: invest in education so people understand the true value of a resilient local food system, back our growers through the ‘Grow the Grower’ programme that not only supports existing producers but also helps new growers get started for local production, and push for policy that strengthens our food system for the long term. Together, these create the foundation for a food-secure, resilient future.” 

‘Grow the Grower’ is a key initiative which includes developing skills, apprenticeships, and access to land while ensuring local producers have the processing facilities they need to stay viable. “Right now, a lot of our local protein is shipped away because we don’t have small-scale processing here. A local hub would unlock huge potential,” Blatt explains. 

Turning Waste into Resource 

With 122 tonnes of food going to landfill every week, waste is both a challenge and an opportunity. 

“The fastest way to cut that number is through surplus capture and redistribution,” says Blatt. “We need to get edible food into people’s homes rather than bins. Education is part of it, but so is infrastructure – systems that make redistribution easy, not a burden.” 

What Households, Councils, and Businesses Can Do 

The report stresses that everyone has a role to play. 

• Households: Start small by reducing food waste at home – plan meals, store food properly, and use leftovers. If you can, grow a bit of your own kai, even just herbs or salad greens.
• Councils & Businesses: Support redistribution systems, invest in local growers, and shape policy that prioritises resilience. 

“This is not just about growing carrots in your backyard. It’s about creating a food system that is fair, local, and resilient – and that requires both individual behaviour change and institutional investment,” says Blatt. 

The report’s release marks the shift from analysis to action, and that action will be front-and-centre at Food Resilience Day at the Wao Summit on 31 October. 

Attendees can expect: 

• Practical tours of local businesses and projects in action. 
• Kōrero with growers and experts. 
• Opportunities to plug in – whether as a volunteer, landholder, funder, or advocates of the roadmap. 

“This is the moment to get involved,” says Blatt. “We have a chance to strengthen our local food system before major disruptions strike. By acting now, we ensure our community can feed itself, come what may.” 

The full Food Resilience Report is available now at wao.co.nz. 

Media, policymakers, businesses, and community members are urged to read the report and attend Food Resilience Day at the Wao Summit on 31 October. 

Release by Arna Craig - Co-Founder Wao Aotearoa 

Further Comments - Babu Blatt - SLKC CO-Ordinator: [email protected] / 021 0287 0320