News, Sustainability & Awards

The Store aims to be as gentle on the environment as possible. Recycling is a big deal here, consumer products are chosen and used carefully. There is even a busy worm farm and composting toilet that is an experience in itself (a good one).

Jan 2023 – Get the scoop!  New Ice Cream house in Okere Falls is a big hit.    

8 x Kapiti flavours and 10 x Tip Top flavours to choose from daily!   

 Going back to the good ol days and our country store beginnings, we now have scoop ice cream ready to serve.  Scoops in waffle cones or cups, single, doubles or kiddie size come with your choice of toppings, all without the added ice cream wrappers and sticks going to the landfill.  Just pop in and head towards the back garden to order and enjoy!   

Dec 2022 – Jamie Pickernell designed Beer Taps are in and pouring…  

Amazing sculpture that pours beer is our latest pride and joy! 

 Designed by our local artist, Jamie Pickernell, our 14-tap sculpture is inspired by the Kaituna river, our local awa which is also classed as the highest commercially raftable waterfall.  “Kai” meaning food and “tuna” meaning Eel, the long steel body hosting the taps has the head of an eel with a waterfall cascading from its mouth.  Come and check it out and enjoy a brew from the best craft beer selection in Rotorua! 

July 2022 – Winner! Winner! Toastie Dinner!!  

We are so pleased to be the The Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover Winners – thanks Cook & Nelson and McClure’s Pickles!! 

 Thank you so much to Maurice from Bread Asylum, Ian and the team from Lumberjack Brewing and McClure’s Pickles for their amazing ingredients helping us to create this award-winning toastie.  Designed by our chef Rich Johns, many are appreciating the countless hours he and store owner Greg Thomas have put in to smoking brisket every day for months!  Also a big thanks to our incredible, fun, and always laughing Cafe team for the literally hundreds of toasties they have been pumping out with love along with all of our other delicious menu items – awesome effort!! 

Read more about the the Okere Falls Store Toastie in the NZ Herald, Newshub and Stuff links here, or 

Check out our Brisket Smoking Process here 

June 2022 – Check out our latest write-up on Stuff!  

How to eat like a local in Rotorua / Ruby Turner

After a carefully planned day of activities, don’t let the side down by fuelling yourself with glad-wrapped sammies and over-nuked quiché, typical of tourist trap eateries. Tour the region via your taste buds and discover the best that Rotorua has to offer, often missed by those not in the know.

Whether it’s a date night vibe or a cheap and cheerful takeaway you’re after, dine in Rotorua like a local with these failsafe recommendations…(read more)

August 2018 – Environmental Awareness Shirt

Okere Falls is excited to be finding new ways to share our plastic-free message, and now we’ve got this gorgeous shirt!

Printed on the softest organic cotton and bearing an eco-conscious message, you’ll want to pick up yours to help spread the word and encourage action!

March 2018 – $ 3000 raised for Oxfam

We’re super proud of our Okere Falls Oxfam Trailwalker Team (Rach, Rich, Raine and Steph) who walked 100km in under 24 hours (without sleep) and raise $3000 for Oxfam.

The event raises vital funds for Oxfam – an independent, secular, non-government organisation working for a future without poverty, giving people throughout the Pacific a hand up, not a hand out to create change that lasts.

Thank you for your support!

NZ-made compostable coffee lids… 

We are happy to announce we are now using completely biodegradable takeaway Coffee Cup Lids! 

There is a common misconception about “biodegradable” plastic coffee cup lids. These plastic lids, the ones you find at most cafes are in fact only biodegradable if done properly with the right equipment and facilities. 

There aren’t enough of these processing plants to keep up with the amount of lids we dispose of every time we have a takeaway cup of coffee. 

The ‘Evie Lid’ takes around 23 days to decompose in a DOMESTIC compost bin, making it one of the first of its kind in the world!!!

Reducing single-use plastic…

 We are NO longer supplying plastic straws for any of our drinks at Okere Falls Store.

These small single use plastic objects contribute to the huge amount of plastic pollution in our environment, while providing a completely unnecessary job! Instead we will have Paper Straws available.

In the U.S they use 500 million straws a day ! imagine that magnified by global consumption. REFUSE the plastic straw and see how you CAN live without unnecessary single use plastic objects.

No more Coca Cola…

CLICK HERE and HERE to see why we banned Coca Cola products from our Store

Rotorua striving to be plastic bag free…

CLICK HERE to follow us on Facebook and find out more about our initiative to encourage Rotorua retailers and events to be part of this movement.

Giving Back

OXFAM 2016

So stoked that we raised $4500. That is 150 more tap stands in under developed communities. 100 farmers that can grow food for their families. Or 75 more human traffickers brought to justice.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible, all the sponsors who so generously donated and of course we have to mention Sally and Annie our support crew on the day who lived every moment with us. 

I have done a lot of outdoor events and experiences and this one was extreme. There are many individuals and also nearly as many teams that did not complete the task. But the “Loving it”  team never considered to quit despite heavy rain, blisters, river crossing’s, MUD, Cow pooh lakes and rivers, steep descents that were on occasion more like a water fall.  Thank you all. 

OXFAM 2014

The OXFAM Trailwaker 2014 was one of the funnest events we’ve participated in. A great cause and an awesome experience. Thanks SO MUCH to everyone that participated and walked!!!