Welcome to a new We Love Local supplier story, where we delve into the heart and soul behind New Zealand’s local treasures. Through insightful email interviews, our cherished small-batch producers tell us more about their inspiring journeys, their deep connections to the community, and the unique spark that sets them apart. Join us as we uncover the passion, challenges, and sustainability ethos that drive these local food heroes, alongside their favourite products and where to find them.
Meet The Lost Plot, based in Greytown, Wairarapa! Discover the inspiring journey behind a family’s quest for self-sufficiency, which turned into a thriving business. Starting with an abundance of produce from their lifestyle block, The Lost Plot identified a niche for preservative-free condiments, launching with an old family recipe.
Could you share with us the story behind starting your business?
We had always wanted to live on a lifestyle block with our family and be as self-sufficient as we could. When we bought our property, we filled it with fruit trees and vegetable gardens and quickly realised it produced a lot more than we could eat ourselves! We noticed a gap in the market for preservative-free condiments, they all seemed to contain emulsifiers and E numbers. So we started with my Grandad’s tomato sauce recipe and it grew from there, before we knew it we were verified and had our own business!
What do you believe sets you apart from others? What are you most proud of?
Definitely our small carbon footprint – we use our own homegrown spray-free fruit and vegetables, and we source locally for what we can’t grow ourselves. Nothing but diluted apple cider vinegar, neem oil and water touches our trees! Our use of traditional methods means our products are bursting with flavour and contain no nasty chemicals.
Your favourite local product?
Grandad’s Sauce! As I write this, it is ANZAC Day, and Grandad would be chuffed to get a mention ❤️
Where can people buy your products?
- Pinehaven Orchards, Greytown;
- Homegrown Butchery, Kuripuni;
- Martinborough Wine Merchants, Martinborough;
- Cest Cheese, Featherston;
- Seriously Pickled, Paraparaumu Beach;
- Landgirl Cafe, Pirinoa;
- Forage Merchants, Alicetown;
- in We Love Local Wairarapa gift packs; and
- online from our website www.thelostplot.nz
At We Love Local, sustainability is a core value. How does your business align with these values, and what future initiatives do you have planned to further these goals?
We make small batches in our certified home kitchen so that we can use traditional methods and avoid the use of chemicals. Bringing our produce straight from the garden to the kitchen and buying other ingredients locally keeps our carbon footprint small. We offer 50c back per jar returned to us so that we can reduce our waste, which many customers enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey with us. We’re thrilled to feature The Lost Plot’s exquisite products in the following NZ gift boxes, bringing a taste of innovation to homes nationwide:
Wonderful Wairarapa Gift Box
$85.00 – $217.50
$76.50 – $195.75
