By Rachael Bhadury - Meet Timo and Valerie Reitnauer: two people on a mission to combine good gift giving and giving back.
Timo and Valerie own Kapiti-based business We Love Local, which delivers sustainable gift boxes that are all locally sourced. They are not only passionate about supporting local businesses but also about supporting the community.
They started the first iteration of their business in 2018, named Kapiti Goodies, and then in 2019, they acquired We Love Local and merged the two businesses.
Timo says a key goal in creating We Love Local was supporting New Zealand businesses.
“During Covid this has been more important than ever,” Timo says.
“Businesses have been hit hard, especially small local businesses, and it means a great deal to us that we’re able to support the many artisan producers across New Zealand and their staff in this way.”
Supporting local is only part of the story though, Timo and Valerie are also on a mission to give back through We Love Local.
Valerie says an important part of their social mission is sustainability and care for the environment. While it’s no longer practical to hand-deliver their gifts in their electric vehicle (true story) they continue to find ways to reduce their impact on the environment.
“All of our boxes are reusable wooden boxes and no plastic or cellophane is used, our premises run from 100% renewable energy, and by only stocking NZ-made we are reducing the distance goods travel. Recently, we have also introduced a closed-loop program for customers to return the wooden boxes if they don’t have a use for them after enjoying the tasty treats. It’s a truly sustainable gifting eco-system and the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand,” she says.
Valerie says that when they heard about The Good Registry they immediately saw how it aligned with We Love Local’s mission.
“Partnering with The Good Registry was the perfect fit, and being able to offer our customers the opportunity to buy a Good Registry gift card together with a gift box further aligns with our mission to reduce waste, support local and our community,” she says.
Find out more about We Love Local - and while you're there, you can add a Good Registry gift card to any gift box, for an extra dose of kindness!
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