Growing the Andean Superfood here in New Zealand

  

Eight years ago, Dan and Jacqui Cottrell set off on their Overseas Experience – it was in South America that they encountered the high protein superfood staple of the Andean people, quinoa, and considered “Could quinoa be grown back at home on the Cottrell family farm?”

Fast forward to now and Dan and Jacqui have recently harvested their fourth and largest quinoa crop on their cool climate sheep and beef property on the Taihape-Napier Road, just out of Moawhango in the Central Plateau.

Quinoa is a high protein seed with an impressive nutritional offering, so much so that NASA stated “while no single food contains all the nutrients necessary to live, quinoa comes as close as any” and have included it in their long term space travel.

After a lot of research, communication with international quinoa producers and a variety trial – the couple identified a particular saponin-free variety of quinoa that really suited their cool climate and short growing season. 

Through many years of trial and error, Dan and Jacqui have ironed out a growing practice that suits their quinoa and their wider farming operation.  Kiwi Quinoa is grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides.  Their quinoa is grown as part of pasture renewal program and permanent pasture is planted shortly after the crop is harvested in February.

With a shift in consumer attitudes around food choices – the demand for sustainably produced, plant based proteins is on the rise.  Recent studies in the US have shown that consumption of alternative proteins, like quinoa and other plant proteins, is growing at a rate of 4-10 times faster than conventional proteins.

Jacqui and Dan remain very supportive of traditional proteins, but also see tremendous opportunity for New Zealand agriculture in not only the plant protein space but with a shift into more regenerative ways of farming our land.

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