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Plant & Food Research

New Zealand Crown Research Institute

Summary

New Zealand Crown Research Institute

Field	Value
agency_name	Plant & Food Research
nativename_r	Rangahau Ahumāra Kai
logo	Plant_&_Food_Research_logo.svg
logo_width	220px
image	Plant & Food Research 20250925 091336.jpg
image_caption	Mt Albert Research Centre in Auckland, New Zealand
formed	2008
preceding1	HortResearch and Crop and Food Research
dissolved	30 June 2025
superseding1	New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science
headquarters	120 Mt Albert Road, Sandringham, Auckland
chief1_name	Mark Piper
chief1_position	CEO
chief2_name	Nicola Shadbolt
chief2_position	Chair
website

Plant & Food Research (Māori: Rangahau Ahumāra Kai) was a New Zealand Crown Research Institute (CRI) that is now part of the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science. Its purpose was to enhance the value and productivity of New Zealand's horticultural, arable, seafood and food and beverage industries. The interests of the institute were based in horticulture, arable and seafood research, specifically in the areas of sustainable production, bioprotection, elite genetics and intelligent breeding, food and health science and biomaterials; these have moved into the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science.

The institute was formed on 1 December 2008 by merging existing CRIs HortResearch and Crop and Food Research. Plant & Food has over 900 staff based at sites throughout New Zealand as well as science and business development staff working in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. The New Zealand Government disestablished the institute and its sister CRIs AgResearch, Scion, and Manaaki Whenua to create the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science on 1 July 2025.

History

On 1 October 2021, Plant & Food Research commenced an even joint venture with Zespri: the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre. The research and development centre, based in Te Puke and also operating out of Kerikeri, Motueka and Mt Albert, is focused on improving kiwifruit breeding and cultivation. The initial aims are to develop kiwifruit varieties that are healthier, better tasting, and more sustainable for the environment. Matt Glenn is the inaugural CEO of the centre.

On 14 May 2025, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Shane Reti announced that Plant & Food Research would be integrated into a new Public Research Organisation called the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science from 1 July.

Notable staff

Trish Fraser, soil scientist
Jasna Rakonjac, microbiologist
Ian Warrington, horticultural scientist and science administrator
Maren Wellenreuther, marine scientist

References

(23 September 2015). "The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd". The Treasury.
(2013). "Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, New Zealand". Ministry of Justice.
Mapp, Wayne. (1 December 2008). "Minister welcomes new Crown Research Institute".
(14 May 2025). "Bold science reforms to fuel economic growth". [[New Zealand Government]].
(12 August 2021). "New Kiwifruit Breeding Centre driving greater innovation to commence in 2021".
(31 August 2021). "Dr Matt Glenn named inaugural Kiwifruit Breeding Centre CEO".
Burry, Maja. (2 December 2020). "Zespri aiming for Crown research partnership to develop new kiwifruit varieties". [[RNZ]].
(12 August 2021). "New kiwifruit breeding centre confirmed for Bay of Plenty". Bay of Plenty Times.

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

state-owned-research-organisations-in-new-zealand food-science-institutes horticultural-organizations 2008-establishments-in-new-zealand organisations-based-in-auckland

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