With lush green fertile soils, regular rainfall, and a temperate climate, Taranaki comprises the perfect ingredients for the production of high-quality, natural food products.
Taranaki has long been a key contributor to New Zealand’s food sector, having helped position the country as a global dairy heavyweight, and driving the red meat, poultry, and plant food industries with production of value-added goods for domestic and international markets.
It was the food sector in Taranaki that helped minimise the effects of Covid-19 on the local economy, with exports of food products remaining strong.
Major names in food production have established production facilities in Taranaki, and an increasing number of agile, innovative companies have chosen the region to carve their mark in this sector.
Buoyant coffee, honey, craft alcohol, fresh produce and baked goods enterprises are on the regional menu – leveraging Taranaki’s unique story and good growing conditions to produce high-quality products that are capturing the attention of global markets and connecting with customers.
As Taranaki’s food story evolves, the region’s natural attributes, experience, knowledge and collaborative approach ensure it will continue to be the home of more new, exciting and creative food products and experiences.
Food Sector Support
Venture Taranaki provides a range of services to help grow the region's food production sector across the value chain and the businesses and people working within it.
Strengths of the Food Sector
Honey: In particular mānuka honey production and product development.
Dairy: A wide range of specialty dairy products (including pharmaceuticals) well-positioned to innovate or develop new products for the high-end global market.
Alcohol: Quality craft and distinctive drinks.
Horticulture: Ripe for growth, capitalising on the microclimates under Taranaki Maunga.
Red meat: Top-quality meats and value-added products, including patties, jerky, and specialist broths.
Coffee: Locally roasted, award-winning coffee, nationally and internationally acclaimed.
Niche artisanal products: Range of artisanal products, from bread, to nuts, spices, and chocolates.
Food and Hospitality Story
Tasty and hospitable
Take a bite of the good life.
Exploding with fresh flavours, and farm to fork experiences - take a look at our Food and Hospitality Story.
Regional Food Strategies
Work to grow the regional food and fibre sector is aligned with the two existing regional strategies – Tapuae Roa and Taranaki 2050.
Tapuae Roa was adopted as the Regional Development Strategy and Action Plan for Taranaki in 2017. The strategy identified four key areas of regional growth, including ‘Future foods’.
Taranaki 2050 was a co-designed process with the local community that developed transition action plans (TPAP) for key sectors including food and fibre. These action plans contained a tangible set of short-medium term priorities and outputs needed to achieve the region’s long-term vision for 2050.
Food Transition Pathway Action Plan (TPAP)
Based on the co-design themes and the emerging opportunities identified in the Taranaki 2050 Roadmap, the methodology took the divergent thinking and opportunities identified in the Roadmap and channeled them into a more convergent set of tangible actions and outputs to define the short-term actions and medium-term strategy needed to achieve the region’s long-term vision for 2050.
The other transition pathway actions plans are available here.
Ready to invest, or want to find out more? Contact our Regional Strategy Team
- Matt Lamb