The New Zealand Food Awards were held in Palmerston North late last month marking the last of a plethora of nationally significant events held in Manawatū this year celebrating the agrifood sector. It is the third time the awards have been held in Palmerston North, dedicated to celebrating excellence and innovation in New Zealand's food industry.

The supreme winner of the night was Fonterra’s Easy Bakery Cream, a full-dairy whipping cream made using 100% New Zealand pasture-fed milk. Developed here at Fonterra’s Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North, the research took 10 years, though the product took only six months from concept to commercialisation.

The judges commended the team at Fonterra for their exceptional technical innovation in developing this product as they were able to achieve consistent whipping performance and stability with only 30% fat – a notable reduction from the traditional 35% – which would typically compromise a cream’s ability to whip and hold structure. 

CEO of the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA), Jerry Shearman, had the pleasure of attending the evening and was impressed with the nominees and products on display.  

“It is always great to celebrate the amazing developments and successes in Aotearoa New Zealand’s food industry,” says Jerry. “Manawatū is known as the epicentre for agrifood innovation, particularly thanks to our capacity in food research, development and science, so hosting the Awards here makes sense.  

“The impact our region has on the country’s thriving food ecosystem was evident with many of the businesses and products show cased having connections to the region. From research and development to food processing, product testing to market access, many can point to Manawatū as being instrumental in their success.” 

The Awards were catered by local chef, Mark Harman of Artisan Kitchen who curated a menu showcasing locally produced food.

“It was a privilege to be asked to cater the Food Awards again,” says Mark. “It is a wonderful celebration of food and to be a part of that, showing off the best produce we have in Manawatū, is very special.” 

Mark himself is an acclaimed New Zealand chef with an impressive international career spanning 30 years, even meeting and cooking for the Queen. You can get a taste of Mark’s passion for creative, ingredient-driven cuisine at the Global Kitchen in Palmerston North and Artisan Kitchen Cafe in Aokautere.  

2025 The Year of Agrifood in Manawatū

More than 10 nationally significant events were held in Manawatū this year, all celebrating the country’s diverse, innovative agrifood sector. The events varied from community focused activities like the New Zealand Rural Games to prestigious awards ceremonies such as the Ahuwhenua Trophy celebration and New Zealand Food Awards, as well as celebrations of food such as One NZ Plate of Origin.  

E Tipu: The New Zealand Future Food and Fibre Summit was a highlight on the calendar with more than 400 delegates attending from across the country and globe to answer critical questions on how we can move toward a sustainable and resilient future for food and fibre production in New Zealand and beyond. 2025 was the first time the conference included field trips and provided a great showcase of the Manawatū food and fibre value chain. 

"It was my first time at the conference, and I met a LOT of interesting people that work in particular sectors in Agriculture - it was great to hear their story and what they do in the industry." – E tipu 2025 attendee.

Leadership in Agrifood Innovation 

Palmerston North city and Manawatū is known as the epicentre for agrifood innovation and was the first region in Aotearoa to develop an agritech strategy. With its rich history in food innovation and science, coupled with our rich natural resources, the Manawatū region stands poised to shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s evolving food narrative. The Year of Agrifood programme is a tangible outcome of the Manawatū Regional Food strategy which continues to, through collaboration, innovation and inclusivity, build a thriving food ecosystem, contributing to the New Zealand food story.