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Kitchen Things customers spend tens of thousands on appliances not delivered

Kitchen Things customers spend tens of thousands on appliances not delivered

A Wellington family are counting the cost of Kitchen Things’ receivership after being left with a stalled kitchen renovation and $16,000 out of pocket in yet-to-be-delivered appliances.  Customer Damion, who didn’t want his last name used, told the Herald they were in the final stages of a full house renovation, which was now in “limbo”.  “It’s the family kitchen we’ve always wanted but never had with smaller houses.  “Unfortunately we’re now in the final stages with some added stress that we didn’t need.”  The family of five, and a dog, have been renting a small two-bedroom unit down the road for the duration of the build.  “We can’t plan a move-in date as we don’t have appliances,” Damion said.  “Any delays will simply add more cost. And we’re not in a position to buy more appliances. That pot is empty for now.”  Damion said he paid the final instalment, about 50%, to Kitchen Things on the Friday before they went into receivership the following week.  “I have $16,000 of appliances that should be on their way to me but clearly are not,” he said.  “The last I heard [from Kitchen Things] on the Friday was ‘we’ll get this organised’ and haven’t heard anything since.”  Kitchen Things in Morrow St, Newmarket, is one of 12 stores currently closed after going into receivership. Photo / Jason Dorday  Damion said the day after Kitchen Things went into receivership, he was emailed by receivers at Grant Thornton after being identified as a potential customer and asked to reply with confirmation and proof of purchase.  He said he replied but has since received no response from the firm.  “I’m just incredibly disappointed at the lack of communication and the stress of not knowing what’s going to happen.  “Unfortunately, they’ve just left everybody absolutely in the dark.”  The Herald has contacted Grant Thornton for comment.  Consumer NZ said anyone who paid by debit or credit card should contact their bank immediately to get a chargeback.  Shattered dreams  Another couple who contacted the Herald said they were doing a kitchen renovation and had spent over $14,000 on appliances from Kitchen Things.  They paid the remaining 50% balance on a Monday, two days before Kitchen Things went into receivership, and received an email confirmation saying their items would be delivered that Friday.  “The goods are in location in their business and we’ve got a kitchen without any appliances,” the couple said.  “Not only that, we have a daughter living with us who had a stroke and needs medication stored in a fridge and [are] relying on a beer fridge for a family of three adults.  “The stress on our family is huge. As a couple in our sixties, we have never had a new kitchen and had borrowed money to make this happen and now find our dreams shattered.”  ‘Loss is considerable’  Ian Burkett told the Herald he and his wife had paid $6898 for two Bosch appliances from Kitchen Things.  The pair, in their 70s and who own a small pet shop, were waiting for their appliances to be delivered two days before Kitchen Things went into receivership, but they never came.  “This is the first time we were going to have a brand new stove and it would be our first-ever dishwasher,” Burkett said.  He said he was “cursing” himself as originally they were to be delivered on August 1, but they had to postpone.  Burkett said now they haven’t got an oven at all and they have a big hole where the dishwasher should be.  “Business is so bad, we’re basically surviving on our pensions. A loss of $6898 is considerable.  “If we don’t get our money back, we’re going to have to go and buy some cheap stove that we can barely find the money for as opposed to something we really wanted.”  Cameron Smith is an Auckland-based business reporter. He joined the Herald in 2015 and has covered business and sports. He reports on topics su...

40,000 meals donated as NZFN marks fifth anniversary

40,000 meals donated as NZFN marks fifth anniversary

The New Zealand Food Network's (NZFN) fifth birthday celebrations have been boosted by a whopping five tonne meat donation from meat processor ANZCO. Since inception in July 2020, NZFN has been on a mission to redirect surplus and donated food (largely from the corporate and food production space) to its food hubs, which distribute it to recipient charities, social supermarkets, and other support groups tackling food insecurity on the front lines. For their birthday month, NZFN's one wish is for their donor partners to gift food and essential items from their 5th birthday wishlist - a list of the most-needed goods for food hubs to stock foodbanks, community organisations and family pantries across the country. This includes meat and fish, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables, hygiene products and more. The very first gift has been generously made by beef and lamb producer, ANZCO Foods, who has donated a whopping 5 tonnes of beef mince - with protein being one of the most in-demand items for food hubs. That equates to 10,000 standard packs of mince, 40,000 meals, or 250,000 meatballs. The mince is destined for NZFN's recipient food hubs across the country - three tonnes going to the Auckland distribution centre to service the North Island, and two tonnes going to the Christchurch distribution centre for the South Island. ANZCO Foods chief executive officer, Peter Conley, says the company is proud to contribute to the wishlist and help ensure nutritious food reaches those who need it most. Read More: Lack of funding 'a major challenge' Demand for food support increases Helping feed the needy "At ANZCO Foods, we see ourselves as more than a food producer. We're committed to supporting the wellbeing of all New Zealanders, and that starts with access to quality nutrition. We're proud to support NZFN's birthday wishlist and help connect our premium beef mince to hungry families across Aotearoa." Since 2020, ANZCO Foods has donated almost 50 tonnes of food to support NZFN's food hubs. The company also provides recipe cards in the food parcels to help families turn their beef mince into nourishing meals. Over five years, NZFN has distributed 35 million kilograms of food - equivalent of over 79 million meals. It has partnered with 64 food hubs who collectively serve over half a million people per month. Founded at the height of one of New Zealand's worst hunger crises, Covid-19, NZFN had an urgent mission to quickly address the food insecurity sweeping through the population as unemployment, sickness and financial strain soared. It was set up in a matter of days with the support of Ministry of Social Development and helped tackle the dual issues of food insecurity and food waste through a collaborative national model. ANZCO Foods chief executive Peter Conley. Greater Demand The efficiency of NZFN's model has meant it has operated largely behind the scenes. Many people still don't realise that work is not ongoing, but even more demanding today. Gavin Findlay, chief executive of the New Zealand Food Network, says, "Five years ago, we set out to help everyne access nutritious, high-quality food no matter who, or where they are. Thanks to our amazing partners, the dedication of our Food Hubs, and the support of donors, we've been able to work towards building more food secure communities throughout the country". #NEW_ZEALAND_FOOD_NETWORK #Anzco