Ki Tua Fund invests in NZ pasture productivity startup 

This Kiwi focussed investment provides Fonterra a financial stake in BioLumic, enabling a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will look at ryegrass productivity. 

Ki Tua Fund Director and Fonterra Chief Innovation & Brand Officer Komal Mistry-Mehta notes the importance of this MOU with a Kiwi startup, aiming to prove the merits of this technology.

“This Kiwi investment enables an MOU between the Co-op and BioLumic, which will look at how their technology could enhance the metabolised energy (ME) available, total pasture production and its ability to increase milk yield.

“The ME will be lifted by developing existing traits in ryegrass using BioLumic’s technology that uses UV-B light.

“In future, this technology could enable more milk production per animal which would be a good result for our farmer shareholders,” said Komal. 

With BioLumic’s lab work already underway, it is expected that field trials will commence in late 2026 and run for approximately 18-24 months with data analysis following. Beyond the trial phase, BioLumic could then look to commercialise the product in-market. 

Once the seed is commercialised, Fonterra farmers could access the product to sow on-farm.