Hawke’s Bay-based Kabocha Innovations has taken the deep process knowledge developed through its award-winning Kabocha Milk product and applied it to an even larger commercial opportunity — the extraction of high-value protein powder, culinary oil and functional peptides from kabocha squash kernels.
The company’s partnership with Callaghan Innovation Biotechnologies Group, which began with BPA support in 2022, has proven pivotal. Further funding rounds in 2023 and 2024 allowed them to conduct small-scale commercial trials and ultimately, the production of specific products for customers.
Research conducted at Callaghan’s Gracefield facility has validated a proprietary extraction process that unlocks two premium product streams — a neutral-flavoured, allergen-free protein powder and a distinctive culinary oil — from the same kernel that once went to waste. The process is protected by granted patents in New Zealand, the United States and South Korea, with an international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application now filed covering nearly 160 countries.
“Support from the BPA has been critical in getting our business to where it is now, on the cusp of a capital raise which will allow us to invest in production at a scale that will really benefit New Zealand. We wouldn’t be where we are today without support from the BPA.” – Shane Newman, founder and CEO Kabocha Innovations
We profiled Kabocha Milk in last year’s Impact Report. Key updates from the past 12 months include:
- Secured 12 letters of intent from domestic and international ingredient buyers across five product application categories, including a major Japanese ingredient distributor, confirming strong commercial demand.
- Filed a PCT international patent application, establishing priority rights across more than 157 countries and positioning the company’s New Zealand-developed IP for potential global licensing.
- Active development of an engineering design basis for a dedicated commercial extraction facility in Hawke’s Bay, targeting commissioning in 2029.
- Continues to build on its Japan market relationships, with interest in both its oil and functional peptide products from established food and beverage manufacturers.
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