NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business / Small Business

‘Dream a bit more’: Kaputī Studio partners with Air New Zealand

Olivia Reid
By Olivia Reid
Multimedia journalist·Whanganui Chronicle·
25 May, 2025 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Whanganui's Whitney Nicholls-Potts is partnering with Air New Zealand's Ka Rere programme to expand her tea business, Kaputī Studio. Photo / Ashley Church

Whanganui's Whitney Nicholls-Potts is partnering with Air New Zealand's Ka Rere programme to expand her tea business, Kaputī Studio. Photo / Ashley Church

Whanganui-based tea business Kaputī Studio will receive a $20,000 cash grant, 12 weeks of mentoring and a chance to supply Air New Zealand.

The airline’s Ka Rere programme works with small Māori and Pasifika-owned businesses.

Kaputī Studio owner Whitney Nicholls-Potts started her business as a stall at the Whanganui River Markets in 2014.

She moved to Auckland and while on maternity leave continued selling her chai at the Grey Lynn markets.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“At first it was just selling cups of tea and then we started doing packets and started an online store. It just organically evolved,” she said.

Nicholls-Potts believes Whanganui’s creative culture helped her develop Kaputī Studio.

“You’re surrounded by a lot of creativity so it’s a good nourishing environment for thinking about ideas,” she said.

“Sometimes when you’re in a big city there’s a real push for productivity but living here has helped me to slow down and really strengthen my ideas and dream a bit more.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Nicholls-Potts was inspired to work with tea through her childhood and an early job.

 Whitney Nicholls-Potts, owner of Whanganui-based tea company Kaputī Studio, is supplying Air New Zealand events for the Ka Rere programme. Photo / Ashley Church
Whitney Nicholls-Potts, owner of Whanganui-based tea company Kaputī Studio, is supplying Air New Zealand events for the Ka Rere programme. Photo / Ashley Church

“It’s something that has always been a connector in my life and growing up. I worked at t Leaf T in Wellington while I was at uni and started making my own blends there,” she said.

“That’s where I started understanding the world of tea.”

Growing up, she enjoyed the “connection moments”, drinking billy tea on her grandparents’ land and having a cup of tea at the marae.

“There’s all these different experiences that we need, like we need our morning cup of coffee and we need a really nice afternoon earl grey and we need a tea before bed, or a tea to serve with meals,” she said.

Nicholls-Potts is one of three to participate in this iteration of the programme, along with The Sustainable Food Co and Stronghold Group from Auckland.

“It’s first and foremost a mentoring programme, so they give me 12 weeks of mentoring with really incredible brains in their operation sharing knowledge and sharing experience,” Nicholls-Potts said.

She has already been given the opportunity to do “tea activations” for Air New Zealand events and hopes to use the programme to expand Kaputī Studio further.

“I want to see if we can come up with some really cool collaborations, do some regional blends and hopefully put some story-telling around it. And of course, the big dream would be to be in-flight but the volume needed is massive,” she said.

“It’s nice to be forming a relationship with them that feels really genuine and mutually beneficial.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Another goal for Kaputī Studio is expanding from an online store to supermarkets.

“One of our big goals is to create a supermarket range so that we can get into new homes in Aotearoa,” Nicholls-Potts said.

“It will be quite different because you have to make it in such large volumes while still trying to stay close to our values.”

Nicholls-Potts hopes to take her business to the world.

“We experience other people’s tea culture so it would be beautiful if we could also participate in that exchange in sharing our tea culture with the world.

“What Air New Zealand is seeing is the value in us being able to have this knowledge exchange and it’s just felt so genuine and you feel the manaakitanga in every layer of the business.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“I think it’s really positive and worth highlighting because these things are really powerful because it’s good for them and it brings them back down to the people level, and it’s good for me because it helps me to dream bigger and achieve my goals with their support,” she said.

Air New Zealand chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer Kiri Hannifin said the programme was a “two-way exchange that strengthens our supply chain and our communities”.

“Ka Rere is about more than just opening doors, it’s about walking alongside these businesses and sharing the knowledge, networks and tools that can help them thrive.”

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Small Business

Premium
Small Business

Small Business Q&A with Willy Benson of PortaSkip

Premium
Small Business

On The Up: Former Olympic swimmer dives into business with waste venture

08 Jun 05:00 PM
Companies

The Kiwi entrepreneur transforming period care with Uber's support

03 Jun 07:00 PM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Small Business

Premium
Small Business Q&A with Willy Benson of PortaSkip

Small Business Q&A with Willy Benson of PortaSkip

Small Business reporter Tom Raynel interviews Willy Benson about his waste management business PortaSkip. Video / NZ Herald

Premium
On The Up: Former Olympic swimmer dives into business with waste venture

On The Up: Former Olympic swimmer dives into business with waste venture

08 Jun 05:00 PM
The Kiwi entrepreneur transforming period care with Uber's support

The Kiwi entrepreneur transforming period care with Uber's support

03 Jun 07:00 PM
Premium
‘Emerging Company of the Year’ Projectworks raises US$12m, plans AI splash

‘Emerging Company of the Year’ Projectworks raises US$12m, plans AI splash

03 Jun 05:00 PM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP