A Māori smoothie marketed as Whai Ora, or wellness, will be sold in four Asian countries after a deal was struck this week in Malaysia.
Miraka's smoothie ingredients are sourced from around New Zealand, it says. Photo: Image: Supplied.
Māori milk company Miraka has signed an agreement with Malaysian distribution company, Storiiu to have the smoothie brand sold in Singapore, Philippines, China and Malaysia.
The company, which is owned by a number of Māori trusts, described kaitiakitanga, or guardianship, as being at the heart of everything it did.
The two smoothie drinks would be available in two flavours - green and berry - and the makers said the ingredients were sourced from around New Zealand.
Whai Ora's nourishment was said to be drawn from the beginning of time through its connection to Papatūānuku, or earth-mother.
Brother and sister Brian and Chemmy Tam with Miraka chairman Kingi Smiler. Photo: Image: Storiiu Distribution Company.
At a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell said the deal was evidence of Māori innovation and was "building economic value for the future".
Miraka, which is already exporting whole milk powder and Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) milk products to 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, runs its processing operations on renewable steam from the Mōkai geothermal field.
The by-products created through the drying process are composted at a worm farm, and the worm castings got to a nursery producing native plants for riparian waterway planting.
The Māori smoothie will also be available in New Zealand.