| 3 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The Egg Project T T Sue Russell The egg farmwith a social focus Pip Chrystall and friend - The Egg Project is a grass-roots company doing its bit to help support worthy causes around the Rangitikei, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Whanganui districts. One North Island egg producer is punching well above its weight when it comes to socially innovative thinking, customer service and contributing to the greater good. The Egg Project is a grass-roots company doing its bit to help support worthy causes as it takes care of the nutritional needs of its customers spread around the Rangitikei, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Whanganui districts. Pip Chrystall, the power-source of energy behind the initiative, says the business model is perfect for a number of reasons. “We provide our customers with the best-quality, fresh, free-range eggs, and other small local farmers’ produce, and in the process they get to support worthy community groups and organisations doing good. It’s all things good,” Pip says. Her enthusiasm for what she has created, just in a matter of five years, is palpable as she shares a little of her journey. Established in 2019, the inspiration for The Egg Project, Pip says, came from a desire to remove the ‘middle man’ from the egg-supply model, bringing cost-saving benefits to her customers, the community, and providing her and partner Brian, the egg farmer, with a fair return, and avenues to expand the business in the future. Eggs are dropped off to 40 fundraising groups weekly, and at the end of term, $1.00 per dozen is given back. It’s been such a whirlwind since the business was established that Pip acknowledges she hasn’t really had time to stop and reflect on where it is going, though she has engaged the support of a couple of wise mentors. The growth of the gate-to-door service during Covid was explosive. Such has been community response to the business that, today, The Egg Project is nearing 7000 customers. Pip says it is not just about her eggs, as customers can also access other ethically grown products through the website, something she feels strongly about. “I want to see other producers supported at a cottage level to establish themselves. We are like the old horse and cart scenario.” Acknowledging she has always had an empathetic soul, the idea to create meaningful funding for worthy causes was very appealing. What has been achieved is impressive, with just shy of four million eggs provided to non-commercial customers, and just over 800,000 of those distributed via fundraising groups and through donations. “It is sitting just below $70,000 that we have given back for fundraising etc. We have also moved 35,000 avocados for three small growers, nearly four tonnes of asparagus, not to mention the milk, yoghurt, corn, salsa, cherries and jam,” says Pip proudly. The impact The Egg Project has had, has been recognised several times now with business awards, including winning the top prize in the Agriculture and Food section of the Yorb Manawatu Business Awards for its innovative, unique agri business. “We’ve donated nearly 12,000 eggs to the Ruahine Kiwi Project, thousands of eggs given to Pink Ribbon breakfasts, Relay for Life, food banks, Daffodil Day, to name just a few. And if we can’t afford to donate eggs, we sell them at cost to so many other not-for-profit groups that need them,” says Pip. She is hugely grateful and humbled that without the support of the egg-eaters and her staff, The Egg Project would not be what it is today. And when not focusing on all things ‘egg’, Pip also finds time to operate the Coastal Retreat yurt accommodation offering at Himatangi beach “ This is my way of getting a little balance into my life away from the crazy nest of The Egg Project.” :KHQ \RX ZDQW \RXU VWDႇ WHDP RU VFKRRO WR VWDQG RXW IURP WKH FURZG ZH UH KHUH WR KHOS &KRRVLQJ D QHZ XQLIRUP FDQ EH RYHUZKHOPLQJ 2XU H[SHUWLVH NHHSV WKH SURFHVV VLPSOH VR \RX GRQ¶W ZDVWH WLPH HႇRUW RU PRQH\ 0DLQ 6WUHHW 3DOPHUVWRQ 1RUWK UREHUWHPEURLGHULHV FR Q] 1R PLQLPXP RUGHUV
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