![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/PKA6HD7GPZAXLDL6PC5BRXYXIE.jpg\")
While implementing kaitiakitanga as practice across their vineyard, Tiki has been celebrated for their practice in a New Zealand first certification. Photo \/ The Hui <\/p>\nTiki Wine & Vineyards has become New Zealand\u2019s first vineyard and winery to receive regenerative certification from A Greener World, earning international recognition for an approach grounded in kaitiakitanga.<\/p>\n
The North Canterbury producer received the certification after six years of regenerative farming. The independently assessed programme recognises farming practices designed to improve soil health, biodiversity and resilience to climate change.<\/p>\n
Founder Royce McKean said the certification affirmed Tiki\u2019s belief that vineyards should be farmed in partnership with nature.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it reinforces that we always knew the way to farm was to do so with nature and not against it. And you\u2019re going to have a lot more success, you\u2019re actually going to grow better quality food. You\u2019re going to do that for time and memorial really.\u201d<\/p>\n
While implementing kaitiakitanga as practice across their vineyard, Tiki has been celebrated for their practice in a New Zealand first certification. Photo \/ The Hui <\/p>\n
McKean believes regenerative methods could be adopted more widely across New Zealand\u2019s primary industries, strengthening the country\u2019s food production and export sectors.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise welcomed the certification as a positive development for the country\u2019s agricultural exporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand how important kaitiakitanga is and I think the world is slowly catching up to how important kaitiakitanga is in not just food production but also in the value you can get from exports,\u201d says Jeremy Gardiner, NZTE Head of M\u0101ori Export Customers.<\/p>\n
Kaitiakitanga at the heart of Tiki<\/p>\n
Kaitiakitanga underpins Tiki\u2019s operations and reflects a commitment by founders Royce and Sue McKean to care for the land while producing food and wine.<\/p>\n
McKean learnt the value from his mother, Sally Hariata McKean, who is of Ng\u0101ti Uenuku K\u014dpako, Ng\u0101ti Ranginui and Ng\u0101i Te Rangi descent.<\/p>\n
The A Greener World certification recognises Tiki\u2019s efforts to leave its land in better condition for future generations. NZTE sees the achievement as part of a wider shift in international markets, where environmental credentials are becoming increasingly important to buyers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that the market is telling us that these things are important and if you really want to get the value out of our products then we have to start moving towards those things.\u201d<\/p>\n
What makes a farm regenerative?<\/p>\n
A Greener World assesses how farms apply regenerative principles and measure their environmental progress.<\/p>\n
At Tiki\u2019s vineyard, those practices include planting between vine rows to improve biodiversity and soil health. The wider property also incorporates fruit and vegetable gardens and livestock, with plans to introduce chickens.<\/p>\n
McKean said the transition was not difficult because many regenerative principles were straightforward and aligned with the long-term interests of the land.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think with a lot of this stuff, it\u2019s not actually particularly complicated, you know intuitively that what you\u2019re doing is right or what you\u2019re doing is wrong for the long term benefit of your land.\u201d<\/p>\n
A possible path for New Zealand farming<\/p>\n
McKean is encouraging other businesses and households to learn about kaitiakitanga and experiment with regenerative practices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just really want to encourage others to read on it and look at it, or even have a go at it in your own backyard. You\u2019ll find that it\u2019s not particularly complicated and it\u2019s something that\u2019s relatively intuitive, you\u2019ll derive a lot of enjoyment from it and ultimately, you\u2019ll end up with some good food.\u201d<\/p>\n
NZTE says demand from some overseas markets is creating an export opportunity for producers that can demonstrate credible regenerative practices.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/FEFJFGFWE5AR5ELNSPK4JUAVIQ.jpg\")
The AGW regenerative certification reinforces that kaitiakitanga is best practice for sustainable and climate resilience. Photo \/ The Hui <\/p>\n
Gardiner said those practices could increase the value of New Zealand exports while also improving the health of the country\u2019s productive land.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think definitely in some of our markets the move towards regenerative is an important export step but also for our own production systems, making sure we\u2019ve got great quality production, and we leave the whenua in a better state is a good practice anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tiki Wine & Vineyards has become New Zealand\u2019s first vineyard and winery to receive regenerative certification from A…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574217,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3214,14934,52045,23753,111,43,139,69],"class_list":["post-574216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-exports","tag-farming","tag-kaitiakitanga","tag-maori","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=574216"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574216\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/574217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=574216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=574216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=574216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}