As of 30 October, 672 people have registered their interest in the upcoming Plenty foods community share offer, with indicated investments ranging from $1 to more than $1,000 and beyond.

The PledgeMe crowdfunding offer will give New Zealanders the opportunity to invest alongside existing shareholders in Plenty foods Brewtown.

Founder Henry Hutcheon says the response shows Kiwis are looking for a different way to engage with the businesses they support.

“We’ve been blown away by the response. That number of people have put their hand up before the offer has even opened.”

“People tell us they want more than another supermarket. They want to support a business that reflects the values of the community it serves. That’s what this offer is about.”

Since opening, Plenty foods has focused on building strong relationships with customers, suppliers and local producers while proving an independent supermarket can succeed.

The company believes the level of early interest reflects the support for local ownership and a desire for communities to play a bigger role in the businesses they use every day.

The planned raise will help strengthen the business, grow customer ownership and support Plenty foods’ long-term vision of building a network of community-connected supermarkets and supporting businesses.

Interest has come from existing customers, local business owners, families and supporters of independent supermarkets. “Some people have registered an interest of $1. Others are proposing to invest much more. Both are important to us, says Hutcheon.”

This isn’t just about the amount people invest. It’s about people wanting to be part of our journey to build something they can believe in.”

People interested in becoming shareholders can register their interest on the CrowdCheck crowdfunding page on PledgeMe, which will remain open until the offer goes live.

A “thank you” to Lisé Hutcheon from Plenty foods for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

30/10/26