14/04/2025
Dylan Reeve
[FYI request #30144 email]
Tēnā koe Dylan
Thank you for your query about the school lunches programme.
In the 2024 Budget, the Government announced a change to funding for Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy
School Lunches, to provide 242,000 students in the programme a nutritious meal, at lower cost.
Providing tasty meals that are delivered on time and are cost-effective is an important part of the
Services Agreements for the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme.
As a whole, the programme is working well. Schools on the internal and iwi/hapū delivery models
continue to provide lunches that are well received by students.
We acknowledge that there have been some challenges with the early implementation of the
School Lunch Collective (SLC) external model to provide lunches to around 125,000 students on
the programme. Recent delivery from SLC has consistently been over 99% on time to schools, and
the new menu for term two will include a variety of nutritious meals we know students will enjoy.
The Services Agreement with SLC and other external suppliers includes provisions for monitoring
the supplier's performance against agreed service levels. The Ministry is actively monitoring these
agreed service levels, and, following the implementation stage of the programme, will undertake
formal reviews to measure performance against the contract provision, including delivery and
nutrition guidelines.
All suppliers are committed to meeting the service levels in agreements, and they continue to listen
to feedback from schools and students to resolve challenges quickly.
Your email of 19 February 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requested the following
information:
1. Please provide copies of the contracts and agreements between the Ministry and Compass
Group for the provision of the "School Lunch Collective" program. Included documents
should include delivery and nutritional guidelines and requirements for the contract
provision, as well as details about how contract performance is evaluated and terms under
which the contract could be terminated.
2. Additionally, please provide communications between the Ministry and Compass Group
since the 2025 school year began about the provision of the service, and any
communications within the Ministry about the same.
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The focus of Ka Ora, Ka Ako is to provide a variety of nutritious lunches, every school day, to the
25% of students who need the greatest support.
I am refusing
part one of your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the information requested
is publicly available. It was provided in response to a previous request, which is published at the
following links:
OIA 1338537 – Response: https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2025-
02/1338537%20Response.pdf?VersionId=Onjr4gD0onc.xLAp5Wi_MI9uil9tZqey
OIA 1338537 – Appendix A: https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2025-
02/Service%20Agreement%20MoE%20-
%20Compass%20Group%20New%20Zealand%20Limited_0.pdf?VersionId=Mj74VgA6e5n
pqrpdhYatfroqtyA0_jGH
OIA 1338537 – Appendix B: https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2025-
02/1338537%20Appendix%20B.pdf?VersionId=4_wYhXRlXiID5oYHL5KrLSsQtuCA_34G
OIA 1338537 – Appendix C: https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2025-
02/1338537%20Appendix%20C.pdf?VersionId=.CtJ9m76rkF.v9nB2RQrJVV21Gi23ivQ
Please note that some of the information has been withheld under the following sections of the Act:
9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons.
9(2)(b)(ii), to protect information where the making available of the information would be
likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who
is the subject of the information.
9(2)(f)(iv), to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the
confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials.
9(2)(g)(i), to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an
organisation or officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the
course of their duty.
I am withholding information in scope of
part two of your request under sections 9(2)(b)(ii) and
9(2)(g)(i) of the Act, as above. The Ministry expects the SLC to resolve challenges as quickly as
possible, and implement the operational processes required to meet the obligations outlined in the
Services Agreement.
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the
information withheld. I do not consider that the public interest considerations favouring the release
of this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this time.
OIA: 1343265
Please note, we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and
contact details will be removed.
Thank you again for your email. I appreciate hearing about all interest in the school lunches
programme.
You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision on your request, in accordance
with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to [email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Lynda Pura-Watson
General Manager, Ākonga and Community Outcomes
Te Mahau | Te Pae Aronui (Operations and Integration)
OIA: 1343265
