Why We’re Skipping Black Friday (And What We’re Doing Instead)

Every year, around about now, the onslaught begins. Your inbox fills with emails promising massive savings. Ads are relentless, shouting “DON’T MISS OUT!” like the world will end if you don’t buy a cheap air fryer by midnight.

And for a while there, Eatlocal jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon. We worked out what we thought we wouldn't mind losing, designed the graphics, posted them all over our socials, and hoped that maybe it would feel like a good fit. It never really did.

Black Friday Doesn’t Work for Fresh Food

Black Friday is built for big retailers selling products they can store, mass-produce, or bulk-import. They can take a financial hit and make it back later. It works brilliantly for some industries; for others, not so much.

Fresh food does not work that way. Yes, apples and onions can sit in controlled storage after harvest, but the cost of growing them still depends on weather, the season, and actual people doing real work. You can't whip up extra broccoli for a sale weekend, and you can't slash prices without someone paying for it.

Freshly dug Jersey Benne potatoes at harvest

Large international retailers can absorb discounts or push suppliers harder. Woolworths, for example, is Australian-owned and often follows overseas trends. I had a look at their 'deals' for Black Friday. It consists of cheaper broccoli and discounted pre-packed tomatoes. Woop de doo. Hardly worth the fanfare. So, my thinking is, if the biggest supermarket chains don’t go hard out on fresh produce for Black Friday, why should small local businesses be expected to?

Discounts Come From Someone’s Income

When big retailers drop prices heavily, the cost can be passed back to suppliers or written off as advertising. A small business doesn’t have that option. A dramatic discount doesn’t come from a marketing fund. It comes out of someone’s income. We'd rather support New Zealand farmers and makers than squeeze them for a one-day rush.

We’re Choosing Calm

So this year, no panic sales, no hype, and no “today only” gimmicks. We’ll stick with:

Asparagus - in season now

• Top quality fresh, seasonal produce

• Locally-grown goodness

• Our usual weekly specials that you know and love

Real Support Isn’t a Countdown Clock

Joanne visiting Lamond Farm - where our eggs come from

If you shop with us, we hope it is because you value fresh, local food and appreciate knowing where it comes from and who packed your order. We hope that matters more than a one-day discount.

For us, quality and customer care matter more than all the hype. That's something we can offer every week, not just once in November.

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Joanne Webb runs Eatlocal.nz, delivering premium, locally sourced fruit, veges, and artisan foods across the South Island. Passionate about supporting New Zealand growers, she personally packs every order to ensure quality and freshness. When she's not working on Eatlocal, you’ll find her walking her mini Schnauzer, Zac - or contemplating marathon training again!