Event recognises Māori agriculture opportunity

Meat, fruit, vegetables and seafood produced by Farmlands’ shareholders took centre stage at a new event designed to showcase Māori cuisine.

Tohunga Tūmau held its inaugural event in Auckland on 1st July, followed by a second evening in Russell 9 days later. Uniting a collective of nationally recognised Māori chefs, the event celebrated the start of Puanga Matariki, which will be recognised as New Zealand’s newest public holiday from next year. As principal partner of the event, Farmlands took the opportunity to introduce the 200 Māori business leaders and guests in attendance to Kāuta (Kitchen), an indigenous supply chain database. This unique database unites Māori farmers, growers and producers with businesses looking to develop an offer that is distinctly New Zealand. “Farmlands is passionate about kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and doing our best to maintain the land for the next generation of shareholders,” Farmlands Director - Marketing, Nick Baylis says. “We want to connect our Māori shareholders with Kāuta so they can leverage the business opportunities that follow. “Whether it is hospitality, marae or anything relating to Te Ao Māori, we want our Māori shareholders to unite and grow their reach. This database delivers a market proposition that cannot be matched internationally.” A six-course menu was provided to guests at both events, with a focus on Māori grown and prepared produce. Culinary Masters preparing food at Tohunga Tūmau included Peter Gordon, Joe McLeod, Anne Thorp, Rex Morgan, Rewi Spraggon, Kārena and Kasey Bird, Grant Kitchen and Nancy Pirini. With the first event now complete, Puanga Matariki is planned to be staged annually in a different location around New Zealand. Nick Baylis says Tohunga Tūmau provided a window into the amazing work being done by Māori agribusiness. “Tohunga Tūmau is about celebrating what makes the primary sector’s role with Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) unique,” he says. “By bringing together like-minded farmers, producers, kaumātua and Māori-led entities, every aspect of this venture has been distinctly New Zealand and showcases the breadth and strength of New Zealand’s supply chain.”

| Tohunga Tūmau held its inaugural event in Tāmaki Makaurau on 1st July. | Rewi Spraggon, Joe McLeod, Sir Wayne Shelford and Grant Kitchen.

| A six-course menu was provided to guests at both events, with a focus on Māori grown and prepared produce.

Te Whenua Taroā – The Enduring Land

Farmlands has strong partnerships with many Māori shareholders, iwi, hapū and Māori agri organisations. Partnering with Tohunga Tūmau provides a unique opportunity to connect shareholders with event organisers and the wider Kāuta database. The partnership feeds into the wider ambition of Farmlands to proactively work with – and understand more comprehensively – Te Ao Māori (the Māori world). As its own unique sector, Māori agribusiness brings with it its own opportunities to deliver value to our shareholder base. “Regardless of the sector our shareholders work in, we have a responsibility to understand their unique challenges and provide solutions to support them,” Farmlands Director - Marketing, Nick Baylis says. “When it comes to Te Ao Māori, we need to walk the walk. We can only do this by creating partnerships, seeking feedback and delivering attractive offers.” While in its early stages, Farmlands’ Te Ao Māori journey has so far included introductions to tikanga (protocols) and Te Reo. “It is an honour and privilege for us to be a partner of Tohunga Tūmau and we have pledged our ongoing support and commitment to this whanau, to help them in their vision to develop a sustainable Māori supply chain,” Nick says. “We want to promote indigenous ingredients and celebrate and elevate Māori cuisine. We also want to always acknowledge that without the mahi (work) of Aotearoa’s agri industry, none of this could be possible.”