Fillery of the Future

A family run business with an eye firmly on a truly sustainable future for all of our children.

I feel pretty busy sometimes, but after talking to Kathryn from The Fillery I am reviewing what busy means. Kathryn opened The Fillery in April 2021. So, the most challenging year imaginable to open a new business, for all the reasons we already know. And not only has she survived, the business has thrived and she casually threw in growing and giving birth to not one, but two beautiful babies, twins Harlow and Luka. They joined Dad Adam, big brother Xavier and big sister Ayla in The Fillery whanau. Far out, now that is busy. I had to find out how she does it.

Her family is a big inspiration. The whole ethos of the business is future focused. Providing an alternative to plastic packaging, supporting local producers and reducing waste even further by allowing people to only buy as much of an ingredient as they need. So you don’t end up throwing out half of the smoked paprika you bought to try. Bad example. No one would throw smoked paprika out, smoked paprika makes everything better. Especially the smoked paprika from The Fillery, it’s top quality. Another benefit of cutting out the middle person on top of ditching the packaging is that you can afford to buy the best quality ingredients when you buy in bulk.

Kathryn is standing up, holding a baby in each arm as she explains, “Customers love being able to come and buy only what they need. People that live on their own can buy just enough flour for a batch of fresh scones without worrying about weevils getting into the rest. And a lot of people come in when they have decided to eat a bit more healthily, because they can buy as much of each new ingredient as they need for one recipe, to see if they like it.”

People sometimes wonder how it all works at The Fillery. “It’s really simple. You can bring your own jars and containers in, we weigh them and then you fill them with whatever amount you need, we weigh again, then you pay. Don’t worry if you forget your containers, we have paper bags or recycled jars for everything.” They even have a service where you can drop off your list, or containers marked with the ingredient and amount you want them filled with, and the wonderful Savannah will fill them while you are at work or doing your other jobs around town. They don’t even charge for the service. “People get really excited about all the plastic and packaging they are not buying, they feel really good knowing they’re not making rubbish, and we try and make it really easy for them.”

It’s not just pantry staples at the fillery though; they stock all manner of sustainable products with minimal and ecologically sound packaging. Many of the products are local, like Whenuakite’s Ladybird Seeds, perennial favourite Unkle Dunkle’s range of hot sauces, and the very popular Opito Bay Salt. All are from Aotearoa and many are women-led businesses. Kathryn loves supporting other women in business.

Along with food ingredients of every description, cleaning products and wonderful sourdough bread (including the best gluten free bread I have ever tried), there is a lovely range of divine skin care and personal care products that are guaranteed free of yucky chemicals. It’s also a great stop for gifts, with something in every price range. And as a bonus, you know Kathryn has done all the research for you and whatever you are buying has solid ecological credentials.

I am inspired by people like Kathryn and businesses like The Fillery. Passionate people living their values and setting up businesses under incredibly challenging circumstances that make it easy for the rest of us to make good choices; to look after the earth right now and ensure future generations have much to look forward to. I know that Xavier, Ayla, Harlow and Luka are going to be very thankful to their Mum and Dad for that, and I am too.

Join The Fillery’s winter bread making challenge. Check out the super easy bread recipe at thefillery.co.nz then go in and find all the ingredients you need to bake yourself a loaf. You will be amazed how easy and delicious it is! If you want to go into the draw to win a $50 voucher, send a photo of your loaf to hello@ MaramaMagazine. com