For the first time in 25 years, qualified butchers have graduated from Ōpōtiki through a nationally recognised apprenticeship programme, marking a significant milestone for the Eastern Bay of Plenty town.
New World Ōpōtiki employees Te Awaitaia Rolls (Ngāti Kauwhata) and Jaime Howard (Ngāti Awa) are the men behind the achievement, having recently completed their butchery qualifications through Foodstuffs North Island.
The success was made even more significant when Rolls was named Foodstuffs North Island Butcher Apprentice of the Year at the co-operative’s 2026 Excellence Awards in Auckland.
For Howard, the achievement gave him a sense of pride not only in himself, but in what it represented for the wider community.
“I felt really proud in a way, ‘cause coming from a small town like Opo, it’s cool. You usually see bad stuff about our town in the news, but it’s cool to do something positive and show that our town can do good things.”
The pair spent the past three years working towards their qualifications while remaining based in their hometown. Gaining a nationally recognised trade qualification at home made the achievement for Howard even more meaningful.
“I feel very proud, especially ‘cause I graduated high school here and went through kura here, so I feel proud to be able to gain something here in our town.”
Seeing both apprentices complete their final year was especially rewarding for their manager and mentor, Brandon Tauroa (Ngāti Awa).
“It was good to see that growth, especially with these two that I’ve worked with for the last few years. To see their growth and then achieve it - because they say a lot of people in the trades do drop out in their final year without passing - it’s a proud moment for me to see how far they’ve come.”
The success highlighted the value of creating trade training opportunities in rural communities, allowing young people to gain qualifications while staying close to their whānau and community.
“That’s definitely a good thing about being able to train and get a qualification while living at home with your whānau, still connected to your whānau and connected to your community,” said Tauroa.
“It’s a huge moment, I think, and just shows that you can do big things, even if you come from a little town - something that the other school kids or local younger ones can look up to and see that you can actually do something in your smaller hometowns.”
For Rolls, the recognition as Apprentice of the Year was a reflection of the support he received from those around him.
“Oh yeah, I was just grateful - grateful for all the people behind me, everyone that’s pushed me along the way and made it possible. Couldn’t have done it without them, really.”
Beyond the qualification itself, both apprentices say the skills they have gained are already benefiting their whānau and community.
Rolls said one of the most rewarding aspects of the trade was being able to help provide food for the people closest to him.
“Feeding my own family and my koro, he’s always asking me to do stuff for him and it makes me happy, at least I can help him out in some way for the years he’s looked after me.”
Howard agreed, describing butchery as a practical skill that fits naturally within a community where hunting, fishing and gathering kai remain part of everyday life.
“I think it’s a gift and a blessing to be able to have the skills to provide kai for our whānau, ‘cause the town that we live in, everyone does it. Everyone goes diving, everyone goes hunting.”
“To be able to have those skills and go out into the community and go see my bros who probably have a pig on the back of their truck, or a deer, and say, ‘Yeah, I can cut that up. What do you wanna do with it? Do you want sausages or whatever?’ To be able to do that with my friends and family is pretty cool, I think.”
The achievement comes as Foodstuffs North Island celebrated a record 177 graduates completing 230 trade and retail qualifications across the co-operative this year.
For New World Ōpōtiki, however, the success carries particular significance, demonstrating that nationally recognised trade careers can be built in rural communities and helping create a pathway for the next generation to follow.
Nā Piripi Taylor nō Pūkāea.
