YOUR INDUSTRY
NZ SQUASH MILK MAKING A SPLASH IN JAPAN Words by Rose Mannering
Shane Newman is a second-generation Hawke’s Bay squash grower who runs his business NH Packing Ltd from Whakatu
Shane Newman had a bright idea. After reading an article on the development of avocado milk, the Hawke’s Bay squash grower and packer thought ‘why not try squash milk?’ He contacted the developers of an award-winning avocado milk, Auckland power couple Sachie Nomura and her husband Nick Siu, to see if they would collaborate on a new product. The idea Shane posed to Sachie and Nick was a perfect fit: developing a product to capture the New Zealand growing story and adding value to product that was not destined for export. Health attributes of the milk would have wide consumer appeal. They partnered with the Ministry for Primary Industries who assisted with $95,000 in funding through its Sustainable Food and Fibres Fund for development of the innovative new product. “Between the three of us, we have come together to form this fantastic model to bring this product to life,” Shane says. A year later, Kabocha Milk was born. Comprising 95% buttercup squash, the milk is vegan, free from artificial colours and flavours and has a subtle flavour profile of fresh squash. It’s also sustainable, says Shane.
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”Our Kabocha Milk uses the unexported [sic] tag-3 fruit, creating a high-value, sustainable and exportable product from produce that would otherwise go to waste.” The brand name, Kabocha Milk – Kabocha being the Japanese name for buttercup squash – was later developed by a fourth business partner and co-founder, Terry Daly, who is now in charge of brand design and marketing. After some thorough market testing, today, Kabocha Milk is available in two high-end retail chains in Japan, as well as markets in Korea and Hong Kong.
