After nine months of planning, the Honest Wholefood Co is open for business, and the first two weeks of operation have been a whirlwind for the owners, sisters Emma Brown and Nicola Cross.

The Lake Hawea-based company sells kitchen, bathroom and laundry essentials without the packaging these goods normally come in. Emma and Nicola source bulk products and sell on the goods in reusable, recyclable packaging - or, better yet, customers can provide their own reusable containers.

Wherever possible, the bulk products are sourced from companies already using waste free packaging for the stock, and the prices are set to match or beat the supermarket - a tall order for the entrepreneurial duo. 

“We want to help people access waste-free products,” Nicola said. “If it’s too expensive, people just won’t buy it.”

With backgrounds in marketing (Nicola) and accounting (Emma), the pair sought to provide for customers something they themselves wanted - easy, affordable essentials without waste.

Nicola lives as close to zero waste as she can, which requires everything from baking biscuits for her kids when they want them instead of buying packaged ones, to - until recently - driving long distances to find low-waste, affordable pantry basics. 

The understanding that it can be both difficult and time-consuming to live to a low waste life inspired the pair to make access to their products as simple as possible. 

“It shouldn’t be complicated, Nicola said. “We try to make it easy.” 

Nicola and Emma considered opening a retail store before deciding that an online shop, plus providing deliveries, would be the best option, at least to start with. “We try to be really responsive, and work like a storefront online.”

Finding suppliers who are willing to deliver goods in waste free packaging - and are also ideally locally or New Zealand based - is an ongoing challenge, but it is an important aspect for the Honest Wholefood Co. 

“We don’t want to just be a front for the customers who don’t get packaging with what they buy, but also be really responsible at the back end.”

Honest Wholefood Co sell more than 150 products through their online store. Visit it here.

PHOTO: Wanaka App