Our latest stockist is the best darn ‘corner’ store on Waiheke Island (just off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand). It’s called Waiheke Fruit & Veg, but generally goes by its nickname ‘The Top Shop’ and its owner Emily MacDonald is a pretty top lady herself. Not only is she still in her twenties (maybe even early twenties), but she’s transformed what used to be your pretty average shop into something really special. She stocks the best organic produce and gourmet goods (local if poss) like I love Pies, No. 29 Olive Oil and Cable Bay Wines, all the produce is labeled with its English AND Maori names and now it stocks Dumbo feather!

Waiheke Fruit & Veg is also the base for an incredible project Emily’s set up. Two years ago she visited the war-ravaged province of Gulu, Uganda and was inspired to do something to help the children there. In 2009, TheVillageProject raised over $60,000 from the sale of limited edition t-shirts and artworks. This year they’ve already raised half that again, this time by selling over 1,000 stainless steel water bottles too … Emily’s also on a mission to make the island plastic water-bottle free! You go girl.

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