Building homes, strengthening communities: FNR Group’s project with Kāinga Ora

For Manu Burkhardt-Macrae, Managing Director of the FNR Group, the decision to register with Amotai in October 2020 was an excellent one.

“We had never worked with Kāinga Ora before, but as an Amotai supplier, they took the time to engage with us and ultimately agree on terms that would be mutually acceptable to both parties.”

It was this direct connection that resulted in FNR Group completing the build of 13 new homes in Kaitaia for local whānau, as part of a contract with Kāinga Ora.

“We’re proud to have delivered these homes and grateful to Kāinga Ora and Amotai for the opportunity. This project has also given some of our younger staff great exposure to residential building and has enabled us to support numerous local sub-contractors,” says Manu.

Amotai CE Anna-Jane Edwards says this example demonstrates the potential for economic growth and community development when local businesses are empowered to thrive.

For Manu (Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa) and his business partner Brady Wild (Te Aupōuri, Ngai Takoto), FNR Group’s values and commitment extends well beyond their business success. Together they run it as a whānau operation and an opportunity to give back to their local communities. Of their 140 staff, 70 per cent are Māori and another 6% are Pasifika. The average age of staff is around 42 years old and almost 20 per cent of staff are involved in some sort of cadetship or training for rangatahi.

“Many of our staff are either family members or have close relatives working alongside them so it’s a tight-knit and supportive team,” says Manu.

“We set our values around the things that are not only important to us, but important to our staff and communities,” says Manu.

FNR Group’s dedication to building their whānau and their community is showcased through their sponsorship activities and environmental commitments. They prioritise sponsorship and support for local sports teams such as the Northland Woman’s and Men’s Rugby teams, cultural groups, kids’ charities, and other local events like fishing competitions. Their recent whānau planting day, where 1500 manuka seedlings were planted over half a hectare, also serves as a testament to their values.

In offering advice to fellow business owners, Manu shares his wisdom: “I encourage all our suppliers to be part of Amotai and Whāriki (Māori business network). Our sub-contractors don’t always have an opportunity to directly connect with large buyers but through us, we try to support as many connections as we can. By strengthening our networks and supporting one another, we can collectively drive positive change within our communities.”