Like many great Kiwi businesses, CSC began in 2002 in our founder Craig Johnson’s garage in Cambridge. Initially, 16 camps came on board, collectively purchasing significant quantities of food. This buying power enabled Craig to secure our first supplier deal with Crean Foodservice, now known as Bidfood.
From its inception, CSC was established as a "social enterprise" with a mission to Build Richer Communities—a purpose that remains just as vital today as it was when we first began.
In the early days, all offers were for on-account purchases, and most members were associated with camping. Like a well-rolled snowball, we began to grow—more members joined, increasing our buying power. This attracted more suppliers who offered improved discounts and deals, which in turn encouraged even more businesses and organisations to join CSC. And so, the cycle of growth continued!
Our business members began requesting discounts for their staff, leading us to introduce individual discounts through printed discount cards. This expansion allowed more people to access our deals and significantly broadened our reach. These discount cards quickly gained popularity, and with advancements in technology, we developed our apps. Today, this has evolved into a separate and thriving division, 1Team.
And we’re award-winning! In 2016, we took the bold step of entering several business awards, and the results speak for themselves:
Waikato Business Awards
WINNER: “Not-for-Profit” Category
Waipa Business Awards
WINNER: “Excellence in Sustainability & Community Contribution”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: “Small Business”
Sustainable Business Network Awards:
FINALIST: “Community Innovation”
These achievements highlight our dedication to making a positive impact in our communities.
Today, CSC is a thriving social enterprise with over 5,000 business and organisation members. This is just the beginning of our reach—our partner organisations extend these benefits to their members, and 1Team currently has around 100,000 registered app users.
CSC now boasts a secure, diversified investment portfolio to ensure that our Trust always has the funds necessary to support our community partners, including the first building we’ve established in Cambridge, which is where CSC is based today.
