Tiki Wine & Vineyards has become the first vineyard and winery in New Zealand to receive regenerative certification from A Greener World [1].
This milestone marks a shift in the New Zealand wine industry toward measurable soil health and ecological restoration. By securing independent certification, the winery provides a verifiable blueprint for other producers seeking to move beyond organic labels toward regenerative agriculture.
Located in Waipara within the Canterbury region, the winery was founded by Royce and Sue McKean [1, 2]. The certification follows six years of dedicated soil rebuilding efforts [2]. While the formal certification process was a recent endeavor, the development of the vineyard began more than 20 years ago [4].
The transition to regenerative practices was driven by a desire to rebuild soil health and honor the Māori value of kaitiakitanga, or guardianship [1, 3]. These values were passed down through the founders' whānau, guiding the management of the land long before the formal certification was sought [1, 3].
Regenerative viticulture differs from standard organic farming by focusing specifically on the restoration of the ecosystem. The process involves techniques designed to increase biodiversity and sequester carbon within the soil. The certification by A Greener World serves as independent verification that these practices are being implemented effectively [3].
The achievement comes as global pressure increases for the agricultural sector to mitigate climate change. By focusing on the soil, Tiki Wine & Vineyards aims to create a sustainable cycle that supports the land for future generations, while maintaining the quality of the Waipara region's produce [2, 4].
“Tiki Wine & Vineyards has become the first vineyard and winery in New Zealand to receive regenerative certification.”
The certification of Tiki Wine & Vineyards signals a transition from theoretical sustainability to verified regenerative agriculture in the South Pacific. By aligning indigenous Māori guardianship values with international certification standards, the winery demonstrates how traditional land stewardship can meet modern environmental benchmarks, potentially influencing New Zealand's broader agricultural export standards.
