Work is now getting underway to develop a Roadmap for the diversification of New Zealand’s protein production. These workshops are being run by MPI with FoodHQ facilitating the communications.
The Roadmap will identify New Zealand’s comparative and competitive advantages related to the production of different protein sources, and suggest pathways for how we can leverage these to further diversify our protein sector. It aims to help us direct resources towards opportunities that will create the most economic, social, and environmental value. It will run through to 2035.
A series of workshops facilitated by MPI are planned for November to explore areas that have been identified as potentially relevant for New Zealand’s future protein diversification. These have been broken up into the following cross-cutting opportunities:
- Market trends and desires
- Technology and process development
- Leveraging ingredients manufacturing
- Circular production systems and waste stream utilisation
The results of these workshops will be augmented with research briefs into the potential of different protein subsectors in New Zealand, which are being developed in partnership with Food Transitions 2050.
A draft Roadmap is set to be released for full public consultation in March 2023.
If you are interested in participating in this process, please get in touch via events@foodhq.com and we can discuss further.
We will continue to provide updates on the Roadmap’s development via our EPNZ mailing list.
The Roadmap is being co-developed by a diverse group of stakeholders, including Research Organisations, Industry, Government and Māori partners. Abby Thompson (FoodHQ CEO) is Chair of the Leadership Group for this initiative, which is part of the Fit for a Better World plan to build back better from COVID-19. It will link to long term initiatives such as the ‘Food and Beverage Industry Transformation Plan’ and ‘Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways’ to ensure they are positioned to deliver for the Aotearoa’s alternative proteins sector.