The Food Factory Nelson

Age Concern Nelson Tasman are in the kitchen today with Chef Aimee cooking up honey mustard chicken and apple & pear crumble 🍏🍐🍯 The kind of comfort food that makes you wish smell-o-vision was real.

But there’s something important we need your help with 👉 From March 2026, Age Concern will be looking for a new venue to run their popular cooking classes.

They’re after a space that:
✅ Can comfortably host up to 10 people
✅ Allows the chef to cook without turning their back to the group (ideal for teaching)

If you know of a venue in the Nelson/Tasman area that could be a good fit, please get in touch or tag someone who might have an idea.

These classes make a real difference and we’d love to help them find their next kitchen home ❤️

After five years of championing food innovation and entrepreneurship in Nelson, The Food Factory will close its doors at the end of November.

This isn’t just an ending; it’s a moment to celebrate everything that’s happened inside these walls:

✨ Businesses that turned kitchen-table ideas into products on supermarket shelves
✨ Community groups who came together to share meals and build connections
✨ Educational programmes that gave young people hands-on experience
✨ Countless collaborations, ideas and friendships sparked along the way

From fledgling food businesses to charitable initiatives, The Food Factory has always been about people - supporting them to take their first steps, grow their ideas and create something bigger than themselves.

We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved here, and deeply grateful to every tenant, sponsor, board member and community supporter who has been part of this journey.

While the doors may be closing, the ripple effect of The Food Factory will carry on through the people and businesses who started here. That legacy is something we’ll always celebrate.

💬 If you’ve been part of The Food Factory - as a tenant, supporter or cheerleader - we’d love to hear your memories in the comments.

From our kitchen to 40 stores across Aotearoa 🛒✨

We’re thrilled to celebrate one of our Food Factory tenants, My Kitchen Table NZ, now stocked in 40 stores nationwide!

These ready-to-heat frozen dinners made with care are making their way to family dinner tables all over 👉 proof of what’s possible when passion meets perseverance.

We couldn’t be prouder to see My Kitchen Table enjoyed across New Zealand 🍽️

👉 Curious where you can grab their meals? Check out their full list of stockists here: https://mykitchentable.nz/stockists

Or have them delivered right to your door 🚚

We loved hosting Multicultural Nelson Tasman Inc’s Kai and Kōrero over the weekend. What a special event filled with incredible food, culture and connection 💛

A big thank you to the Chinese community in Nelson, Chef Mo, Chef Jo, Shanshan and Bic for sharing your kai and your stories with such generosity.

The good news is… there’s more to come! In October, we’ll be hosting two more Kai and Kōrero events right here at The Food Factory 👉🏻 Japanese Cuisine and Burmese Cuisine. You can find all the details and RSVP under the “Events” tab on the Multicultural Nelson Tasman Facebook group.
We can’t wait to welcome you back. 🍜🥢

Did you know New Zealanders eat more ice cream per capita than anywhere else in the world? We average around 28 litres each a year 🍦

Our strong dairy industry, sunny climate and long history with the treat all play a part - plus, we make seriously delicious ice cream right here in NZ (and Nelson!).

👉 What’s your go-to flavour?

The Food Factory has been smelling incredible with leek & potato soup simmering away and berry ambrosia being whipped up 🍓🥔

Our friends from Age Concern Nelson Tasman have been in the kitchen with chef Aimee, who has a gift for making cooking both fun and practical.

From sharing where to find the best specials to clever swaps for seasonal produce, she keeps every session down-to-earth and accessible.

With up to 9 participants in each class, it’s as much about the laughter and banter over a cuppa as it is about the recipes themselves. 🫶

We love seeing our kitchen used this way - food bringing people together, skills being shared, and confidence growing one meal at a time 🥘

This shelf in our demo kitchen shows just some of the incredible products that have been manufactured right here at The Food Factory - from muesli and granola, to sauces, rubs, snacks, drinks, frozen dinners and more.

Some of these brands are long-time tenants, others got their start here before heading out into the world, and together they tell the story of what makes our Food Factory community so special.

🔎 Take a close look and comment below when you think you’ve found all 6!

Keetrax are a “full stop agency” - meaning they handle everything from design and marketing to website development and e-commerce with the same energy they bring to supporting their community.

Their sponsorship helps us continue to provide space, tools and opportunities not just for local businesses but also for community groups and the next generation of entrepreneurs to thrive.

We love that their team (and even their office dog!) share the same values we do: collaboration, creativity and a whole lot of heart 🐾

Big thanks to Keetrax for backing Nelson’s food and business community 💜

https://keetrax.com

👠 Wear Your Red Shoes Tomorrow! 👠

September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month.
On September 9th, we encourage you to slip on your red shoes and show your support for those living with FASD and their whānau.

🔴 Look out for the Nelson Clocktower lit up in red tomorrow night - a bold reminder of the importance of awareness and understanding.

We were also proud to recently host Whakatu Te Korowai Manaakitanga Trust in our demo kitchen as they catered their FASD symposium.

What an incredible event and such great work being done in our community. ❤️

🍎 Foodie Fact Friday 🍏

Nelson was once called the Apple Capital of the World! By the 1930s, our region hit the milestone of exporting over one million cases of apples - a huge deal back then.

The one millionth case was even presented to Lord Ernest Rutherford, marking a proud achievement for the industry and our local growers 🍏 🍎