After winning the start-up category at Foodstuffs Emerge last year, Dane Fuller, Founder of FULLER Food, is gearing up to see his product, FULLER Overnight Oats, on supermarket shelves in New World stores across the country.
In 2024, Dane entered and won Foodstuffs Emerge, a competition that offers emerging suppliers, like FULLER, the opportunity to take their products on a fast-tracked journey to New World shelves across Aotearoa.
“In the seven months since we won Emerge, we’ll have gone from a predominantly online retailer focused on the American market to being ready to launch in every New World supermarket across Aotearoa,” says Dane.
“Fired up and all-in, we’ve been making the most of every opportunity and expert insight Emerge has unlocked. We’ve been able to scale up production tenfold, modify flavours and redesign our packaging so it better suits the Kiwi market.
“Running your own business is a bit like a game of snake and ladders, lots of little knock backs along the way. But winning Foodstuffs Emerge is like landing on the ladder that skyrockets you straight to the top, without it we wouldn’t have gotten to this point for a very long time.”
The Waiheke based company has been selling its protein-packed overnight oats in the United States for three years, where overnight oats and protein-dense food trends have been rising in popularity.
FULLER Overnight Oats are designed for people living a busy, active lifestyle who want convenience without sacrificing healthy ingredients. The “grab-and-go”- style breakfast is the first of its kind in New Zealand and is made with locally sourced ingredients.
Dane entered Foodstuffs Emerge with one goal in mind, walking away as the winner in his category. Confident he had an innovative product, he conducted his own research into the competition, including speaking to previous finalists and winners.
“I put everything I had into winning Foodstuffs Emerge, I placed the rest of the business on hold and put 100% into my business plan and ensuring I understood the market and my customers. I left nothing to chance, and it paid off.”
As part of its fast-tracked journey to supermarket shelves, Fuller Foods were awarded a support package valued at more than $70,000. The package included Precision Media campaign solutions, supply chain support, marketing and merchandising consultation, and strategy development sessions with industry leaders.
Foodstuffs North Island, CEO, Chris Quin says FULLER Overnight Oats blew the judges away on final night and embodies everything the competition is about.
“Through Emerge, we’re looking for trailblazers, and Dane has really captured what’s changing in terms of customer preferences and created a product that people want, which is a substantial, protein-packed, nutritious breakfast without the hassle of making one from scratch.
“There’s nothing like Fuller Overnight Oats on the supermarket shelves at moment, and we’re excited to be supporting such an innovative Kiwi business. It’s been amazing to see the trajectory that Dane and his business has been on in just a few short months. And we know our customers are going to love the product.”
Dane has been blown away by the amount of support he has received from the wider Foodstuffs team.
“Everyone I’ve encountered has offered me nothing but kindness and support, I think Chris Quin might be my best customer. He started buying the product after we won, and he hasn’t stopped.
“It feels more like I’ve been working with a family organisation than a big corporation. From the top down, these are real, genuine people helping to get us years ahead of where we would have been without winning Emerge.”
Entries for Foodstuffs Emerge 2025 opened April 8th.
