Wakatū Incorporation

Wakatū Incorporation is a Māori incorporation based in Nelson, New Zealand, established in 1977. It manages a portfolio of land and commercial assets on behalf of its owners — the whānau whānui, or wider family of beneficial owners — with a stated purpose to preserve and enhance taonga (treasures) for current and future generations. The organisation describes itself as actively involved in the lives of whānau whānui, the wider community, and business development, and it operates with a long-term, intergenerational agenda. Land is the foundation of Wakatū. According to the organisation, whenua (land) is where around 70% of its assets are held, and its trading activities are primarily land based. The land originally vested in Wakatū upon its establishment in 1977 is known as the "corpus land." This was the remnants of the Nelson Tenths and some Occupational Reserves, comprising 1,393.77 hectares valued at $11 million. The beneficial entitlement of the owners was quantified by converting the value of the whenua into shares and issuing those shares to the owners. Wakatū's commercial activities are organised through associated businesses. Kono NZ LP is a food and beverage producer and exporter of premium wine, pipfruit and hops, with operations focused in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough region. Kono aspires to be the world's leading indigenous food and beverage provider and has a global consumer focus, specialising across farming, harvesting, processing and marketing of wine, apples, pears, kiwifruit and hops. AuOra is Wakatū's consumer-focused health-solutions business, developing products from the natural resources of Wakatū that aim to solve consumer health problems. Wakatū frames its work through Te Pae Tawhiti, a 500-year intergenerational plan that establishes the guiding vision for its future. The plan's key principles are embedded across Wakatū Group activities, and five long-term goals focus on whānau (people), pūtea (building value), ngākau hihiko (the ethic of agility and innovation), papa whenua (preserving whenua and taonga), and taiao (whenua ora and tangata ora). All cultural and commercial activities are aligned with these five goals. The organisation undertakes traditional activities in contemporary ways, such as producing crops, and describes itself as an organisation with a conscience that operates in holistic and sustainable ways for the benefit of current and future owners. Its approach is grounded in a traditional Māori relationship with the natural world, in which the environment is viewed not only as a resource but as a vital taonga to be protected and as a source of collective identity.

Wakatū Incorporation was established in 1977. The land originally vested in Wakatū upon its establishment is known as the "corpus land." According to the organisation, this was the remnants of the Nelson Tenths and some Occupational Reserves, comprising 1,393.77 hectares valued at $11 million. The beneficial entitlement of the owners was quantified by converting the value of the whenua into shares and issuing those shares to the owners. The Nelson Tenths have deep historical significance in the region. The corpus land formed the initial asset base of the incorporation, and land has remained central to Wakatū's identity and balance sheet. The organisation states that whenua is the mauri, or foundation, of Wakatū, and that over 70% of its assets are held in land, with trading activities primarily land based. Over the decades, Wakatū developed commercial operations that undertake traditional activities in contemporary ways, such as producing crops. Its food and beverage business, Kono NZ LP, became an associated business focused on premium wine, pipfruit and hops, with operations in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough region. Kono's winemaking philosophy is to create a style of wine that encapsulates a place and time, reflecting the sub-regions and vineyards of Marlborough and Nelson, and all its vineyards are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Its apples, kiwifruit, pears and hops are grown in Motueka orchards. Wakatū later added a consumer-focused health-solutions business, AuOra, which develops products from the natural resources of Wakatū aimed at solving consumer health problems. The name AuOra is a novel combination of two traditional Māori words: 'ora' meaning health and vitality, and 'au', which has multiple relevant meanings including 'current' and 'wake' relating to waka and movement. The name was coined for Wakatū by Dr Karena Kelly (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), drawing on the imagery of a waka being drawn by a current and suggesting leaving a wake, evoking trailblazers and innovators. Wakatū frames its long-term direction through Te Pae Tawhiti, a 500-year intergenerational plan that establishes the guiding vision for its future. The key principles of Te Pae Tawhiti are embedded in all activities across Wakatū Group, and five long-term goals focus on whānau (people), pūtea (building value), ngākau hihiko (the ethic of agility and innovation), papa whenua (preserving whenua and taonga), and taiao (whenua ora and tangata ora). All cultural and commercial activities align with these five goals. The organisation describes itself as having a conscience and operating in holistic and sustainable ways for the benefit of current and future owners. It emphasises that an understanding of the traditional Māori relationship with the natural world is important when considering how modern Māori organisations such as Wakatū view the environment and their role within it. Its close relationship to the natural world is at the heart of its culture and identity and drives its pursuit of responsible and sustainable ways to make the most of natural resources. In this worldview, the natural environment is not only a resource but a vital taonga to be protected and a source of collective identity; land provides not only physical but also spiritual sustenance. Governance is exercised through an owner-shareholder structure typical of Māori incorporations, with board nominations and annual general meetings forming part of its accountability cycle. Recent public notices include the opening of nominations for the Wakatū Board in August 2025, the notice of the 2025 Annual General Meeting in November 2025, the outcome of special resolutions at the 2024 AGM in December 2024, and the appointment of a new Chief Executive announced in March 2026.

• 2026

  Wakatū announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive (March 2, 2026).

• 2025

  Nominations for the Wakatū Board opened (August 4, 2025); notice of the 2025 Annual General Meeting issued (November 6, 2025).

• 2024

  Outcome of special resolutions announced at the 2024 Annual General Meeting (December 4, 2024).

• 1977

  Wakatū Incorporation established; corpus land of 1,393.77 hectares valued at $11 million vested in the organisation.

A Māori incorporation and intergenerational kaitiaki (guardian) of land and taonga, combining cultural values with sustainable, land-based commercial enterprise.

• Kono NZ LP

  Associated food and beverage business producing and exporting premium wine, pipfruit and hops, with operations in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.

• AuOra

  Consumer-focused health-solutions business developing products from Wakatū's natural resources.

• Whenua / land portfolio

  Land is the foundation of Wakatū, holding around 70% of assets, with trading activities primarily land based.

1. 1Wakatu Incorporation — official websitewakatu.org
2. 2History of Land Management — Wakatu Incorporationwakatu.org
3. 3Kono — Wakatu Incorporationwakatu.org
4. 4AuOra — Wakatu Incorporationwakatu.org
5. 5Wakatū Incorporation — Wikidatawikidata.org