All PFN ARTICLES

If the world needed a plot twist in the protein story, this is it - Methane into proptein - researchers at the University of Canterbury and the New Zealand Institute of Bioeconomy Science are showing that methane, yes, methane, can be converted into high-quality protein using microalgae and methanotrophic bacteria. It’s early-stage science, but the implications land squarely in future-food territory.

A nacho pie has just taken out New Zealand’s top vegan baking honour and honestly, could anything scream 2025 more? Richoux Patisserie’s Supreme-winning “Nacho Pie” blended Mexican spice, crunch, and creamy plant-based comfort into a mash-up that feels perfectly tuned to the times: bold, global, and comfort-driven. Judges called it “flavour-packed” and “innovative”, which is code for this one actually made us smile.

New Zealand’s only commercial tea plantation based in the Waikato, Zealong Tea Estate, has steeped itself into global recognition, literally, after being listed among the world’s best tea houses in “150 Tea Houses You Need to Visit Before You Die” by Lannoo Publishing.

New Zealand’s fruit exports hit $5.68 billion in 2025, a record 42 percent increase on the previous year. Kiwifruit remained the standout performer, driving the total value of fresh and processed horticultural exports to $6.85 billion.

Ferrero is quietly reshaping the global nut map. The Italian confectionery giant, famous for Nutella and Kinder, has been planting thousands of hectares of hazelnut orchards across Chile’s Maule and Ñuble regions to guarantee supply for its spreads and chocolates. The South American orchards now complement Ferrero’s holdings in Italy, Turkey and the U.S., offering counter-seasonal harvests and greater climate security.

Across Australia and New Zealand, the next wave of food innovation isn’t coming from flashy lab-grown meats or AI-driven drinks, it’s bubbling up from humble roots: garlic bulbs, chicory beans, and kiwifruit - a wellness boom.

New Zealand is quietly rewriting the rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a field that’s been brewing herbs the same way for 5,000 years. Enter Alpha Group, once a West Auckland garage project, now a global biotech heavyweight — whose patented low-temperature extraction tech is stripping active compounds from plants, fungi, and fruits without destroying their potency.

A UHT cream Kiwis can’t even buy has just won New Zealand’s top food award. Fonterra’s Easy Bakery Cream, a low-fat dairy formulation designed for Chinese bakeries, has taken the Supreme title at the 2025 New Zealand Food Awards. Brilliant science, yes. But when the winning cream is made for someone else’s fridge, it raises a fair question: whose food industry are we celebrating?

Did you know New Zealand still cages its breeding sows - mother pigs, literally. Behind the “clean green kind” image sit iron bars where breeding sows cannot even turn around.

Wai Mānuka is redefining what a functional soda looks and tastes like. This sleek 250 ml can carries more than fizz; it’s a celebration of the famed mānuka honey, Maori design, and cultural pride, blending New Zealand's signature sweetness with a sophisticated sparkling edge.

After a quarter century of gruesome experimentation, New Zealand’s last genetically engineered - GE animal trials have come to an end. The Soil & Health Association and GE Free NZ say the closure of AgResearch’s Ruakura facility marks the end of an era defined by animal suffering, failed science, and ethical neglect. Their meta-report reveals that from 2000 to 2024, hundreds of cows, goats, and sheep were subjected to GE and gene-editing trials that produced no commercial ben

New Zealand has dropped $42 million into a brand-new Biodiscovery Platform, with the goal of turning native biodiversity into export-ready pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods. Announced by Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti, the seven-year investment will fund the newly formed Bioeconomy Science Institute, which aims to translate cutting-edge R&D into products that actually make it to market.