A blueprint for the future of food and fibre
Branching Out is a long-term strategic project for Taranaki, developed from Tapuae Roa and aligns with the Taranaki 2050 Roadmap, the region’s strategic vision for a high value, low-emissions future.
Land use and food and fibre diversification offers a multitude of environmental, social and economic benefits to New Zealand. Branching Out provides a real-world case study for the start-to-finish process of land-use and value chain diversification, using Taranaki as a trial region.
This project takes a full value-chain approach to ensure informed decision-making, embedding consideration for product development, markets, and consumer trends from the outset, and ensuring diversification opportunities are pursued in a sustainable way.
If you’re a landowner, farmer, grower, food manufacturer, or investor looking for a new high-potential food and fibre opportunity we encourage you to take a look. We need you, your skills and capabilities, entrepreneurial mindset, and suitable land to take the ventures to the next phase.
We’re paving the way for farmers, investors and other regions - pioneering a strategic, repeatable research process
Phase One (Completed)
Phase One identified 11 innovative, commercially viable food and fibre value chain opportunities, with potential to strengthen and diversify the Taranaki economy.
The project took input from a wide range of industry participants, from landowners to interested growers, manufacturers to food and fibre entrepreneurs, as well as potential commercial partners and investors to ensure community support and buy-in for each opportunity.
Crown Research Institutes and universities were engaged to provide robust research that underpins each venture selection. Work has also been undertaken with commercial partners to support the development of product prototypes with significant market potential, and a core focus on sustainability and waste reduction.
The project’s investigations, collaborations, and potential commercial pilot opportunities have been presented as investor-ready Venture Blueprints.
Phase Two (Underway)
Phase Two builds on our research by conducting crop trials around the region, targeted commercial viability studies, and investigating value chain development opportunities.
Crop trials are already underway in partnership with committed landowners of whānau, horticulturalists, and dairy farmers. The trials will be held over two production cycles to assess the performance of different crop varieties and cultivation practices. Through systematic observations and data collection, the project team aim to provide farmers with enough data to make informed crop selection decisions for a given region, as well as optimizing agronomic practices to ensure economic viability and sustainability.
Simultaneously, the project is progressing each venture towards launch stage, developing investment models required for implementation. Extensive market research is underway to validate that locally grown products address specific business needs and provide tangible value in the commercial environment.
We’re paving the way for farmers, investors and other regions - pioneering a strategic, repeatable research process
Phase One identified 11 innovative, commercially viable food and fibre value chain opportunities, with potential to strengthen and diversify the Taranaki economy.
The project took input from a wide range of industry participants, from landowners to interested growers, manufacturers to food and fibre entrepreneurs, as well as potential commercial partners and investors to ensure community support and buy-in for each opportunity.
Crown Research Institutes and universities were engaged to provide robust research that underpins each venture selection. Work has also been undertaken with commercial partners to support the development of product prototypes with significant market potential, and a core focus on sustainability and waste reduction.
The project’s investigations, collaborations, and potential commercial pilot opportunities have been presented as investor-ready Venture Blueprints.
Phase Two builds on our research by conducting crop trials around the region, targeted commercial viability studies, and investigating value chain development opportunities.
Crop trials are already underway in partnership with committed landowners of whānau, horticulturalists, and dairy farmers. The trials will be held over two production cycles to assess the performance of different crop varieties and cultivation practices. Through systematic observations and data collection, the project team aim to provide farmers with enough data to make informed crop selection decisions for a given region, as well as optimizing agronomic practices to ensure economic viability and sustainability.
Simultaneously, the project is progressing each venture towards launch stage, developing investment models required for implementation. Extensive market research is underway to validate that locally grown products address specific business needs and provide tangible value in the commercial environment.
Wondering if your land or business could diversify?
We can help you understand the opportunities that may be available for your land and your particular operation/circumstance. Whether it's initial advice, or pointing you in the right direction, we're happy to help.
Download the Blueprints here
We currently have 11 active trials around the region
Our trialists are in varying locations around the maunga and are growing a range of crops. This allows us to study climatic and environmental factors that may impact crop yield and quality.
The Branching Out team is working closely with trialists to maintain healthy crops, as well as managing post-harvest evaluations. These evaluations will be analysed in due course to understand commercial feasibility and sustainability.
Branching Out - By the numbers
Taranaki is renowned for its food production, from dairy and red meat to poultry, coffee and high-end baked goods. The region’s food and fibre sector contributes over $1.5B p.a. to our GDP, accounts for over 10,000 jobs, and has a long history of delivering domestic and international export products.
With rich volcanic soil, good water availability, and a temperate climate, there exists untapped potential for a range of complementary and sustainable food and fibre ventures.
Our strong entrepreneurial spirit here in Taranaki presents credible opportunities that are attractive to potential investors, and our enterprises and start-up community are actively seeking value-added food product opportunities.
Land suitable for horticulture in Taranaki
207k ha Compared to 168k ha currently used for dairyTotal land ownership interested in diversifying
6.2k ha Submitted so far by locals via land-use registerGrowers expressing interest in trials
146+ Showing local support for pilot trialsVenture blueprint downloads
6k+ Significant interest shown by landownersThe scope and scale of Branching Out is significant - take a look.
Branching Out has fostered an environment for diversification opportunities to be investigated.
Through extensive research and collaboration with our engaged community our selection of ventures prove the possibilities in front of us to diversify the Taranaki economy, building on our strengths and capitalising on our untapped potential.
Take a look.
Why invest in Taranaki’s food and fibre opportunities
Taranaki is renowned for its food production, from dairy and red meat to poultry, coffee and high-end baked goods. The region’s food and fibre sector contributes over $1.5B p.a. to our GDP, accounts for over 10,000 jobs, and has a long history of delivering domestic and international export products.
With rich volcanic soil, good water availability, and a temperate climate, there exists untapped potential for a range of complementary and sustainable food and fibre ventures.
Our strong entrepreneurial spirit here in Taranaki presents credible opportunities that are attractive to potential investors, and our enterprises and start-up community are actively seeking value-added food product opportunities.
Branching Out Success Stories
Taranaki Land and Climate Assessment
Venture Taranaki has released an assessment by Plant & Food Research on the land and climate in Taranaki, which provides an overview of our region’s growing capability, and the opportunity to help meet long-term goals of building diversity, value, sustainability, and market and supply-chain resilience.
A key finding of the released Taranaki Land and Climate Assessment is that there are around 207,000 hectares of land potentially suitable for generic horticulture within the boundaries of the Taranaki Regional Council.
The eight mainstream crops covered in the assessment include apples, kiwifruit, avocados, blueberries, hops, hemp and CBD cannabis, hazelnuts and walnuts, potatoes, and wine grapes.
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The Branching Out backstory
Branching Out, is a project initiated and led by Venture Taranaki, and underpinned by local sponsors and MPI’s SFFF Fund. Throughout the two-year project a number of innovative, commercially viable food and fibre value chain opportunities for Taranaki have been identified. This supports the region’s strategy and long-term vision for a resilient, high-value, and low-emissions future as articulated by Tapaue Roa and Taranaki 2050 – the guiding strategic documents for the region, co-created with the people of Taranaki.
The project aim is to strengthen and diversify the Taranaki economy and has worked collaboratively with a wide range of industry participants, from landowners to interested growers, manufacturers to food and fibre entrepreneurs, and potential investors.
Through a process of investigation, a shortlist of feasible ventures has been selected. Crown Research Institutes, as well as universities including Massey, were engaged to provide robust research that underpins each venture selection. Work has also been undertaken with commercial partners to support the development of prototypes with significant market potential, and a core focus on sustainability and waste reduction.
Branching Out’s investigations, collaborations, and potential commercial pilot opportunities for the region have now been presented as venture blueprints.
Branching Out is funded by the region’s three district councils - New Plymouth District Council, South Taranaki District Council and Stratford District Council, and the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFFF). Significant in-kind support is provided by Venture Taranaki, Massey University, New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes, and enterprises involved in Taranaki’s primary sector, and food and fibre industry.
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