Hon Steven Joyce
Minister of Science & Innovation

2 August 2013

FoodBowl partnership announced

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the joint venture ownership agreement for New Zealand Food Innovation Auckland Ltd, which is trading as The FoodBowl – Te Ipu Kai.

The agreement and partnership sees Callaghan Innovation owning and funding two thirds of The FoodBowl and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) owning and funding the remaining third.

“This strategic partnership recognises the strong links between the goals of New Zealand’s new innovation hub Callaghan Innovation, and Auckland’s economic growth agency ATEED,” Mr Joyce says.

“The partnership enables Callaghan Innovation and ATEED to work together to capitalise on the strengths and opportunities in the food and beverage sector, which has been a star performer in research and development investment and export growth over the past 15 years.”

The FoodBowl, previously funded by MBIE and ATEED, and operated by ATEED, provides high-tech facilities and expertise for both start-up and established food and beverage services looking to develop new products or test new processing technologies.

“The FoodBowl has been progressing well since it opened in 2011 and has been working with a wide range of successful companies who are using the facility to produce innovative products. The challenge now is to build on this experience and help develop more innovative products and companies,” Mr Joyce says.

“Callaghan Innovation and ATEED will use this partnership to support the smart ideas coming out of the food and beverage sector.

“Their focus will be on supporting the great work that food and beverage businesses are already doing and assisting the Government in reaching its target to increase exports to 40 per cent of GDP by 2025.”

The FoodBowl will be provided with funding of $3 million per year as part of an initial three-year funding agreement.

Callaghan Innovation, established on 1 February 2013, already has a national interest in food and beverage innovation as funder of the New Zealand Food Innovation Network.

ENDS

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