Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser NZ

The classic Kiwi fundraiser. Low cost, no order forms, and a few hundred dollars raised in an afternoon at a busy site. Here is how to run one from booking to pack-down.

How to run a sausage sizzle, step by step

Book a high-traffic site

Bunnings, Mitre 10 and some supermarkets host community sausage sizzles. Apply through the store's community desk well ahead, as popular sites book out months in advance. Foot traffic is everything.

Sort your supplies

You need sausages, white bread, onions, sauces, gas, a BBQ, tongs, gloves and napkins. Buy in bulk and ask a local butcher or supermarket to sponsor or discount the sausages.

Set your price

Most NZ sausage sizzles sell a sausage in bread for $2.50-$3.50. With bulk supplies your cost is under a dollar, so profit is roughly $2 a unit. Add drinks for a bit more per sale.

Roster your helpers

Run two to three shifts of three or four people: one cooking, one assembling, one on the money. A cash float and a card reader or online donation option cover every customer.

Cover food safety

Keep raw and cooked separate, cook sausages through, keep hot food hot, and have hand sanitiser and gloves. Check whether the host site or your council needs anything in writing.

Run the day

Arrive early to set up and get the BBQ going before the rush. Keep the line moving, restock as you go, and count up at the end. A busy site can raise several hundred dollars in a few hours.

Where to book a sausage sizzle site

The site decides the result. The same BBQ that raises $250 outside a quiet store will raise $800 outside a busy one, so book the best site you can get and work backwards from the date.

Bunnings sausage sizzle

The best-known community BBQ site in New Zealand, and the hardest to get.

Apply through your local store's Activities Organiser, either at the service desk or via the community fundraising form on the Bunnings NZ website. Each store books its own calendar.
Weekend slots at busy metro stores are commonly booked six to twelve months ahead. Ask to go on the cancellation list as well as the waitlist.
Bunnings supplies the BBQ, gazebo and site at most stores. You bring food, gas, helpers and your float, and you run to their food safety sheet.
You must be a registered school, club, charity or community group. Bring proof of who you are and your public liability position if the store asks.
Expect 300-500 sausages on a good Saturday at a large store, so plan supplies for the higher number and take the leftovers home.

Mitre 10 sausage sizzle

Usually easier to book than Bunnings, with foot traffic that is close behind.

Contact the store directly. Mitre 10 and Mitre 10 MEGA sites are individually owned, so there is no national booking form and the store manager makes the call.
Lead times are shorter than Bunnings, often four to eight weeks, which makes Mitre 10 a good backup when your first choice is full.
Check what the store provides. Some supply the BBQ and site setup, others expect you to bring your own gas BBQ and table.
MEGA stores and any site with a garden centre pull the strongest weekend traffic. Ask which day of the week the store is busiest and book that one.

Supermarkets and other sites

Worth asking when the hardware stores are booked out.

New World, Pak'nSave and Countdown stores host community BBQs at owner or manager discretion. Approach the store manager rather than head office.
Sports club rooms on game day, school galas, A&P shows and weekend markets all work, and you keep a bigger share because there is no host to satisfy.
Wherever you go, confirm in writing what the site provides, what time you can set up, and whether power and water are available.

Sausage sizzle fundraiser: common questions

How much does a sausage sizzle fundraiser make?

Profit is roughly $2 per sausage in bread after bulk supplies. A busy site like a weekend Bunnings can sell a few hundred, so a single day commonly raises $400-$900, more if a butcher donates the sausages.

How do I book a Bunnings sausage sizzle?

Apply through your local Bunnings community desk or their website. Community sausage sizzle sites are popular and often booked months ahead, so get in early and have a second site in mind as backup.

Do I need a food licence for a sausage sizzle in NZ?

Occasional fundraising sausage sizzles are usually exempt from registration, but rules vary by council and you must still follow safe food handling. Check with the host site and your local council before the day.

How do I book a Mitre 10 sausage sizzle?

Contact the store directly rather than head office, because Mitre 10 stores are individually owned and the manager books their own community calendar. Lead times are usually four to eight weeks, which makes Mitre 10 a practical backup when Bunnings is full.

Is Bunnings or Mitre 10 better for a sausage sizzle?

Bunnings draws more weekend foot traffic and typically sells more, but metro sites book six to twelve months ahead. Mitre 10 is easier to get and still busy, especially MEGA stores and sites with a garden centre. Many groups apply for both and take whichever comes through first.

What supplies do I need for a sausage sizzle?

Sausages, white bread, onions, sauces, a gas BBQ and gas bottle, tongs, food-safe gloves, napkins, a cash float and a way to take card or online payments. Buy in bulk and ask for supplier sponsorship to lift your margin.

Pair it with a bigger fundraiser

A sausage sizzle is a great top-up. For your main push, compare the highest-earning product and event fundraisers.

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Last updated: July 2026

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Longer how-to guides on our sister site, Fundraiser Guides.