Leaft founders Maury Leyland and John Penno Photo: Supplied
Farmers Maury Leyland and John Penno have created a health food supplement based on protein extracted from leafy greens and in particular, locally grown lucerne (alfalfa).
Their company, Leaft Foods, is planning to bring the first products to market next year.
Leaft's team of scientists has developed a food-safe technology that extracts the protein, called rubisco, in a form that is highly digestible for people.
"We're nailing it at yields which are exciting and in a process which is highly circular," Maury said.
The protein is responsible for the process of photosynthesis and is considered to be the most abundant protein on earth.
Leaft scientists in the lab at Rolleston Photo: Supplied
Photo: Supplied
Most people consume it when eating spinach, kale or other greens, but just not in the quantity that can be achieved following extraction and nutritional processing.
"We're aiming for the higher value uses," she said.
"So everything from high performance sport type applications to middle-aged women like me, who are looking to increase protein in their diet."
Lab results have demonstrated that the extracted leaf protein is as nutritionally viable as animal alternatives, while being easy for humans to digest and allergen-free.
This makes it a potential alternative to wheat and soy-based options.
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Photo: Supplied
The Leaft Foods headquarters in Rolleston is very close to the arable farmers who are contracted to grow the lucerne, that's traditionally used as high energy feed for cattle and sheep.
"It's highly productive, it's perennial, it fixes its own nitrogen and is deep rooted, so it's drought tolerant," Maury said.
The couple is hoping the extraction process will also provide a sustainable feed replacement on stock farms.
"We're going to be making a silage from the (leftover) fibre. It's protein reduced and macerated, so easy for an animal to digest and has better outcomes in terms of emissions."
Maury shelters in a shed during a heavy rain storm at Okuroa Farms Photo: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Hop gardens at Okuroa Farms in late July. In the distance is the Hurunui River Photo: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Maury, who spent several years on the executive team at Fonterra and John, a co-founder of Synlait Milk, bought Okuroa Farms, a 700 hectares sheep and beef property in 2020.
Farm diversification based on climate change research was on their minds from the get go.
They planted North Canterbury's first commercial hop garden on seven hectares near the Hurunui River and a pip fruit orchard with 20 varieties of apples, pears and cherries.
Photo: Supplied
"We looked at historical climate data before and one thing we noted was that the climate here now is similar to the Nelson Tasman Region in the 1970s, so that was in our minds in terms of areas that maybe have been considered inappropriate for horticulture in the past, getting more appropriate."
It hasn't taken long for the highly strung, bittering vines to find their feet.
Cassels & Sons Brewing Company in Christchurch has already used the hops to craft a beer created entirely from Canterbury ingredients.
"We're doing this because we're passionate about future opportunities for Canterbury, both in terms of our economy and the environment, so to have the chance to work with local breweries is definitely very much within our sights," Maury said.
One of the hop gardens just before harvesting Photo: Supplied
Processing harvested hops at Okuora Farms Photo: Supplied