The Village Gift online gift delivery company celebrates the best of Wānaka in a box.

Owners Kenny and Carrie Vaugh set up the company in 2019 after relocating to Wānaka from Scotland and being “blown away” by the quality of the local produce and work by Southern Lakes artisans together with the welcoming community spirit and enthusiasm for supporting grassroots businesses. 

“Aside from the obvious breath-taking scenery, a big part of Wānaka is the tight-knit community who build each other up day to day to create this strong sense of belonging,” says Carrie.

“This is something we have very much experienced first-hand as a family living on the opposite side of the world to all our relatives. So by establishing The Village Gift we wanted to express our gratitude – we loved the idea of getting involved and giving back, supporting and showcasing all things Wānaka. It’s something we like to call ‘sharing local joy’.”

A highlight for the Village Gift was its two awards at the 2022 Ignite Wanaka Business Awards –  winning the Young Enterprise category jointly with The Next Chapter and The People’s Choice Award for its premium gift boxes that combine a tantalising selection of Wānaka-made treats, including Maude wines, Pembroke Patisserie oatcakes and homemade rocky road by The Platter Share. 

Carrie says their beautifully presented boxes are sold in various sizes and are delivered straight to homes in Wānaka and throughout New Zealand.

They aim for the “wow” factor with each box, which is consciously put together with edible or reusable items and dried floral details foraged from the fields near the Vaugh’s home, along with a heart-warming handwritten note

“Sustainability has always been of the utmost importance to us and we have chosen packaging that can be 100 per cent recycled or repurposed, with our boxes being predominantly cardboard or wood and the fill made of paper. We know that our ribbons are pretty enough to be reused by recipients – we were overjoyed to meet a lady at a recent event who was wearing hers as a belt! We just love creating gifts that bring people joy.”