Te Arawa Fisheries were proud to host a group from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) yesterday, giving us the opportunity to showcase our premium products and extensive aquaculture ventures.

NZTE, the government agency responsible for supporting New Zealand businesses to grow internationally, has been watching with interest as we take significant strides forward with our Ka Pū Te Ruha strategy.

Likewise, Te Arawa Fisheries has been impressed with NZTE’s demonstrable actions in supporting Māori businesses into international trade, including the recruitment of several new Māori employees within the agency. 

NZTE’s request to meet gave us the chance to discuss the growth and projected direction of Hī mussels into new international markets, as well as visit a local site being considered for our new processing facility.

We were also able to update NZTE on the exciting large-scale aquaculture developments happening across the rohe.

Hī destined for new international markets

Hī mussels have made a splash in the New Zealand market, quickly becoming a favourite thanks to the unique flavours and generous sizing.

As well as offering a taste test of our mussels, Te Arawa Fisheries updated NZTE on our plans to push Hī into international markets, starting in the next few weeks with a container destined for our neighbours in Sydney, Australia. 

The next six to 12 months will focus on building our relationships with First Nations in America and from there, we will move into Britain – with the help of the new NZ/UK FTA – and Europe.

Hī is a prime example of the premium Māori products that are ready for international trade and will benefit from government-level support.

New processing plant and large-scale aquaculture developments

Seizing the opportunity of having NZTE officials in Rotorua, Te Arawa Fisheries offered a tour of a site being considered for our new processing facility.

This facility will allow Te Arawa Fisheries to expand our production capacity to meet growing demand, while also allowing us to consolidate our Te Arawa Fresh Seafood operation.

As explained to NZTE, our intentions to develop and grow our production capabilities stem from a number of motivations, including ensuring we limit our carbon footprint, create a sustainable business that builds on our existing assets, and create local jobs for whānau.

We also discussed the large-scale Waiariki aquaculture developments underway, including our detailed, investor-ready plans for five targeted species with significant growth potential.

These developments, coupled with our ongoing discussions with multibillion-dollar marine products company Nissui, highlight the significant opportunities in this industry.

Meetings with key agencies are vital to fostering a productive relationship between Māori businesses and the Government.  

Te Arawa Fisheries welcomes both government agencies and private companies to get in touch to learn more about our growth and plans for the future.