A new Government-backed initiative is set to accelerate the commercialisation of New Zealand’s food innovations and unlock new export opportunities in the lucrative Canadian market.
The New Zealand Food Innovation Network (NZFIN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN), a move that will provide Kiwi businesses with access to emerging technologies, market intelligence, and research and development support. The partnership aims to help local food and beverage entrepreneurs tap into Canada’s 40 million-strong consumer market and drive global growth.
The agreement is part of a broader strategy to bolster New Zealand’s food and beverage exports by fostering international collaboration. It follows New Zealand’s entry into the Asia-Pacific Food Innovation Network, a partnership launched in 2024 between government-backed research and innovation hubs in Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. These collaborations are designed to support food security, nutrition, and economic growth through innovation.
NZFIN Co-CEO Grant Verry says the partnership with Canada will play a crucial role in removing barriers to commercialisation and helping businesses scale faster.
“Food and beverage firms are now able to come to us with an idea and outcome, and we will guide them through the fastest way to commercialise that to export,” says Verry.
“The expansion of our network into Canada and our Asia-Pacific network partnership is designed to provide Kiwi businesses with new technologies as well as much larger pools of capital, expertise, and value-added food manufacturing options to enable growth.”
Grant Verry.
New Zealand’s agriculture sector, which accounts for almost half of all goods and services sold offshore, relies heavily on innovation to develop high-value export products. The Government has set an ambitious target to double the country’s food exports by 2030, with the latest forecasts predicting food and fibre exports will reach $56.9 billion by mid-2025.
As part of its ongoing efforts to drive commercialisation, NZFIN has also introduced a new Catalyst model, which integrates food innovation facilities across New Zealand – including Auckland, Waikato, Otago, Palmerston North, and Canterbury – with international partners. The initiative connects businesses with a global network of food scientists, process engineers, and advanced manufacturing technologies to fast-track product development from concept to market launch.
Verry notes that only a small proportion of food innovations survive the journey to export success, highlighting the importance of providing structured support and access to cutting-edge expertise.
“By extending support for New Zealand food innovation beyond territorial and regulatory boundaries, we are unlocking market access through a unified system,” he says.
“This innovation ecosystem, replicated across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, ensures businesses can seamlessly scale and compete globally with the same level of support and expertise they can receive through our domestic programme.”
Established in 2011, NZFIN has been instrumental in helping Kiwi food and beverage businesses develop and commercialise innovative, value-added products to meet global demand. This latest international partnership marks a significant step in ensuring New Zealand remains at the forefront of food innovation and export growth.
