South Taranaki iwi Ngā Rauru's instant frozen drops smoothie

Allie Hemara-Wahanui from Nga Ruahine tasting Nga Rauru product launch of frozen smooth droplets. Photo / Bevan Conley

Avid smoothie makers can stop their shopping, chopping and whizzing - Ngā Rauru has launched its new frozen smoothie drops.

The drops come in 1.2kg packets. Adding 200ml of water to a cup of the drops and shaking will make a smoothie.

"There's actually nothing like this currently on the market, Kaitahi business development manager Leonie Matoe says. "You just add water and shake.

"ll the other [ways of making a smoothie] require a noisy machine to make it happen."

Kaitahi - The Native Superfood Company, was launched at the Iwi Chairs' Forum in Whanganui on May 3 and those attending got to taste the new product at the morning break.

Ngā Ruahine's Allie Hemara-Wahanui liked it, and found the launch inspiring.

"My favourite is the Kiwi C. I'm enjoying that they're not sweet, and I also really appreciate that it's one of our iwi that have created this product," she said.

The smoothie drops come in three flavours - Triple Berry Protect, Kiwi C Boost and Super Green Zing. They contain traditional Māori foods, including kūmara, pūhā and kawakawa, as well as more usual ingredients such as raspberries, limes, ginger, chia seeds and spinach.

Such "functional beverages" are expected to be fast growing products internationally.

Kaitahi was working on new products to follow, Matoe said, including freeze dried and powdered versions, and using the flavours to make coconut-based icecreams.

"It's about transforming our raw native plant foods into healthy foods and beverages for everyone to enjoy."

The Kaitahi company is a subsidiary of the Te Kaahui o Rauru Trust. It has employed only casual workers so far, and done most of its cooking in Annette Main's commercial kitchen in Whanganui.

But it aimed to provide jobs that are good for both people and the environment, and move production to "underutilised" kitchens at Ngā Rauru marae.

The business has come out of a Social Ecological Enterprise programme that Ngā Rauru began with Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment support in 2015.

"The Iwi Chairs' Forum is a lovely platform to celebrate and share this journey," Ngā Rauru general manager Anne-Marie Broughton said.

Ngā Rauru chairman Te Pahunga Davis added it was an honour to share the new venture, which came from many years of shared aspirations.