Tag: Future of Food

June 12, 2025 With support from CEDA, FoodHQ Innovation is proud to announce our Food Technology Scholarship is now open for applications! At FoodHQ, we’re passionate about shaping the future of New Zealand’s food and agrifood sectors – and that future begins with our students. This scholarship is our way of supporting the next generation of innovators and changemakers who will lead and transform the industry. The Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) connects people, place and business in Manawatū. Working closely with our partners, stakeholders and wider business community,...

May 14, 2025 Last week, we bid a warm farewell to our wonderful intern, Lilian Macharia, as she wrapped up her placement here at FoodHQ. It has been an absolute pleasure having Lilian as part of our team—her energy, curiosity, and dedication brought so much value to our work and culture. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside her and witness her growth over the course of her internship. While we’re sad to see her go, we’re also excited to see what the future holds for Lilian as she embarks on her next adventure. We have no doubt she’ll continue to make...

May 2, 2025 “Some areas of New Zealand are showy about their successes, and others are quiet achievers, doing what they do every day with little fanfare. The Manawatū region definitely falls into the latter category, despite its huge significance as a driving force behind one of New Zealand’s most vital industries.“ Read More Latest Articles

May 2, 2025 “For more than 35 years, the New Zealand Food Awards, proudly owned and operated by Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, have celebrated excellence, innovation and sustainability across the nation’s food and beverage sector and are widely respected for their credibility. The Awards showcase the full range of the industry, including fast-moving consumer goods, ingredient suppliers, primary producers, artisan creators and everything in between. Organisers are encouraging businesses of all sizes to enter and share the stories that set them apart between 1-30 May, shining...

Apr 27, 2025 The sector is starting from a low base, but with investment in science and technology, matched with more fit-for-purpose regulations, it could take a fair share of the growing global market. Climate change creates extraordinary stress on aquaculture. Land based biosecurity expertise could provide a unique opportunity. New Zealand could become a scale player in aquaculture if it can conquer the high energy South Pacific Ocean. Scepticism surrounds the government’s...

Dec 17, 2024 New Zealand has a strong record of discovery and inventiveness in high demand areas such as protein, fruit and food service, and while we are reaching our volume limits, research, science and innovation could help increase the value of food and fibre exports. The innovation talent base is declining, the innovation ‘system’ is fragmented, and New Zealand’s track record of large-scale, value-add commercialisation of new product categories could be better improved if we had a more connected, sophisticated innovation system. ...

Dec 17, 2024 Red meat faces four major headwinds: changing consumer demand, China’s slowdown, trade protectionism and new protein technologies. Red meat is not necessarily bad – it’s globally perceived as badly grown and badly served. New Zealand is uniquely placed to build on its grass-fed advantage to be nature-positive.  Disruption of the red meat sector with new and novel proteins may still be decades away but is a real threat as many companies globally are working on new...

November 11, 2024 E Tipu 2025 tickets are now live – with limited special offers and incredible discounts. We are also stoked to announce this year’s MC for E Tipu 2025 the amazing Michelle Dickinson (MNZM)Michelle is a pioneer in nanotechnology and materials engineering, with over 20 years of experience driving innovation across sectors from healthcare to tech startups. Get in quick to secure your ticket for the food and fibre industry’s cornerstone event of the year. This year, we’re excited to offer a variety of ticket options, but availability is limited!We have just...

October 11, 2024 Rising above the rest: A butter that’s better and baking powder win big at 2024 New Zealand Food Awards An alternative butter spread made of pure avocado oil has been crowned as Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s Supreme Award winner at the 2024 New Zealand Food Awards. Vutter Avo Spreadable by Feliz Wholefoods took out the highest honour of the night, while the other big award, the Product Lifetime Achievement Award, went to iconic Kiwi classic Edmonds Baking Powder. More than 300 guests attended the New Zealand Food Awards gala dinner at Auckland’s Viaduct...

September 11, 2024 FoodHQ is a public-private partnership representing the leading collaboration of food production scientists in New Zealand. Dr Victoria Hatton, CEO at FoodHQ is passionate about the future of food and is keen to explore what we mean by ‘innovation’ in the context of food, and the role that research, science and technology plays in creating and maintaining a productive, prosperous food system. Dr Hatton says we need to fundamentally shift the way we produce and consume food, not just in New Zealand, but globally. She says innovation will be the enabler and catalyst of this...