‘Brand kānuka’ could be a unique NZ industry

New research shows kānuka has promising medical uses. (Image: Ministry for Primary Industries)

Tue, 25 Mar 2025

New Zealand’s humble kānuka plant could seed a new Māori-led industry by building on its whakapapa, much like the French did with champagne.Growing on marginal land is easy, and new research has found products with commercial potential in the health and lifestyle markets. Landcare Research scientist Nikki Harcourt said the compounds in kānuka weren't unique to the plant, but kānuka itself was unique to NZ. The way to build a kānuka industry here was to build on its provenance, Harcourt said.A provenance industry relies on th...

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