New Zealand’s newest Crown Research Institute

Plant & Food Research is a Crown Research Institute formed in December 2008. It provides research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products. Plant & Food Research contributes to science in New Zealand and offshore.

Research in natural products

Plant & Food Research has a broad research programme and partnerships covering molecular biology, nutrigenomics, fruit, crops, high-value seafood products and innovative food solutions. A key goal of Plant & Food Research is to develop the plant and marine-based industry in New Zealand and offshore.

Science focus

The science at Plant & Food Research focuses on:

• elite cultivar development for the fruit, vegetable and arable sectors
• environmentally and economically sustainable production systems for food crops
• production systems that target zero chemical usage, bioprotected food production and biodiversity
• application of primary-sector derived ingredients in foods with new functionalities, particularly in the human health domain.

Plant & Food Research science supports the production of novel and high quality produce for international markets.

Crop & Food merged with HortResearch in 2008 to become Plant & Food Research.