Manawatu-Whanganui

From the mountains to the sea, the Manawatū-Whanganui region is as diverse in landscape as it is in food offerings. While not traditionally known as a foodie destination, it just means there's more treasures for you to discover down windy country gravel roads that run between sheep and beef properties and alongside the market gardens that call the lush fertile plains home.

The Manawatū-Whanganui region stretches from the rich volcanic soils of Mount Ruapehu in the north to the fertile plains of Horowhenua in the south. The mainstay of the region is sheep and beef farming, but market gardens have earned it the title of the vegetable food bowl of the lower North Island. Microclimates and soil types within the region cater to the growth of different food and vegetables. Produce from Horowhenua is shipped not only to all over New Zealand but on daily flights to Japan during the peak asparagus growing season. While much of the food grown in Horowhenua graces supermarket shelves as unbranded staple Kiwi items, there are a number of specialty producers across the region who are increasingly finding ways to share their food story directly with their customers - they welcome them into a behind-the-scenes look at their produce.