There’s something uniquely satisfying about a treat that tastes good and does good at the same time. This Easter, the beloved Chocolate Kiwi from Whittaker’s is making a welcome return – and once again they’re helping protect one of New Zealand’s most iconic creatures.
The limited-edition chocolate kiwi are part of a long-running partnership with Save the Kiwi, an organisation dedicated to protecting kiwi and restoring their habitats across New Zealand. For every Chocolate Kiwi sold, 30 cents goes directly towards supporting kiwi conservation efforts, including breeding programmes designed to help the population recover.
It’s a partnership that has quietly made a significant impact over the years. Since 2016, Whittaker’s has donated close to $500,000 to support the work of Save the Kiwi, and this year alone the company expects the Chocolate Kiwi campaign to contribute nearly $40,000.
For Whittaker’s Chief Marketing Officer Soraya Cottin, the collaboration feels like a natural fit.
“As a New Zealand family-owned company, supporting Save the Kiwi is something we’re incredibly proud of,” she says. “The kiwi is such an important symbol of this country, and bringing back our Chocolate Kiwi each year is a small but meaningful way we can help protect it.”
The chocolate treats themselves are a delight for chocolate lovers. Each 75-gram Chocolate Kiwi is available in two classic Whittaker’s varieties: their signature Five Roll Refined Creamy Milk or a rich 50% Dark Chocolate. But beyond the taste, it’s the story behind them that makes them special.
According to Save the Kiwi Chief Executive Michelle Impey, long-term partnerships like this are vital to conservation success.
“Whittaker’s has been one of our longest-standing partners,” she says. “Their support helps fund teams working with kiwi across the country. Thanks to that work, we’re seeing kiwi populations survive, grow, and even return to places where they haven’t been heard or seen for years.”
For many conservation groups, especially on the eastern side of the North Island, these efforts are already making a visible difference. Young kiwi raised through breeding programmes are being released into the wild, helping strengthen fragile populations and slowly rebuild numbers.
And for chocolate lovers, buying one of these treats becomes part of that story.
The Chocolate Kiwi are available nationwide for a limited time and make a fitting Easter gift – especially for anyone wanting to support a good cause while buying local.
Like all Whittaker’s chocolate, they’re made from bean-to-bar at the company’s single factory in Porirua using fully traceable, Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa beans. They’re also proudly palm-oil free – another reminder that thoughtful choices, even small ones, can make a difference.
So this Easter, that chocolate kiwi in your basket might just be helping a real one thrive in the wild.
