08 December 2021
C143838
Cameron Baxter
[FYI request #17522 email] Tēnā koe Cameron
Thank you for your email of 11 November 2021, to the Department of Corrections –
Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Corrections), requesting information about the prison
canteen system (P119). Your request has been considered under the Official
Information Act 1982.
People in prison are provided meals and essential health, sanitary, and hygiene
products They are also able to purchase goods through the P119 canteen system.
The system provides an approved product and price offer standardised across all
prison sites. The goods on the P119 list include additional food items, hygiene and
sanitary products as well as stationery and other miscellaneous items.
The system delivers an additional benefit by providing opportunities for employment.
People in prison are engaged in the operation of the P119 system in our four
regional distribution centres. This engagement supports them to acquire skills in
warehousing and logistics that may assist them to obtain employment on their
release from prison.
The P119 system operates in accordance with the Fair Trading Act 1986 at all times.
You requested:
Please provide me with the name of all the commercial suppliers to the P119
Canteen system. Please provide the names of these suppliers, broken down
by region and year (e.g. In 2019 Foodstuffs and Progressive Enterprises were
used in the Northern Region).
I note that your request did not specify a time range, therefore we are providing
information from 2017 onwards.
Since 2017, Corrections has contracted a single commercial supplier across all
prison sites, Davis Trading Company Limited (trading as Davis Food Ingredients).
Prior to this, each prison site managed their own agreements with individual
suppliers. The agreement with Davis Trading Company Limited has:
• Centralised the management of the P119 system into our four distribution
centres.
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
• Standardised the item range and cost of products throughout the prison
estate. This was delivered via a single supply contract.
• Increased the focus on making a wider range of healthy foods such as fresh
and dried fruits, nuts, and muesli bars more consistently available to people in
prison.
I encourage you to raise any concerns about this response with Corrections.
Alternatively, you are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office
of the Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152,
Wellington 6143.
I trust the information provided is of assistance.
Ngā mihi nui
Robert Jones
Manager Ministerial Services
People and Capability
