Miti makes mighty impact at Mystery Creek
Transforming surplus dairy calves into a world-first, shelf-stable functional protein snack hit the spot with visitors and judges alike at the Innovation Awards at the National Fieldays.
Mīti is made by Alps2Ocean Foods Tapui, based in Oamaru, and founded by Daniel Carson.
It took out the People’s Choice and also won the Early-Stage Award, sponsored by Map of Ag.
Carson says winning People’s Choice capped off an amazing week.
“It’s so great to get this validation from the public voters, alongside the judges' support last week.
“We've obviously got the taste right in our Mīti Beef Bites, and customers also appreciate that our value chain is designed to highlight New Zealand’s best pastoral farming practices and highest animal welfare standards."
The People’s Choice Award is designed to give Fieldays visitors a chance to connect with NZ’s up-and-coming innovations and innovators, and to support their favourites.
Votes nearly doubled from last year, marking strong public engagement in the second year of this interactive feature.
Mīti smokey kānuka and honey beef bites are made in NZ from NZ grass-fed young beef which is a by-product of the dairy industry.
Head Innovation judge Shane Dooley says the product provides a game-changing solution, transforming bobby calf waste from the dairy industry into a high-value, low-carbon protein product.
"By addressing a long-standing social license challenge, they're helping reshape the wellbeing narrative around calf management in NZ.
“It creates value from waste, reduces emissions, and offers a commercially viable path forward for a more circular and ethical agri-food sector.”
Supported by the MPI Innovation Fund, Alps2Ocean worked closely with AgResearch scientists to test and optimise Mīti’s formulation.
Backed by funding from the Bioresource Processing Alliance, further research validated Mīti’s sustainability and welfare credentials — including reduced carbon emissions and improved animal welfare compared to traditional beef systems, AgResearch says.
These data-driven insights strengthened the case for Mīti not just as a snack, but as a viable way to repurpose a low-value stream into a premium, ethical product.
“Importantly, the journey has brought together a wide network of collaborators — including Alliance NZ, Duncan Venison, Fonterra, Pāmu Landcorp, and SPCA NZ — reflecting a shared belief in the potential of this innovation to benefit the food industry, the environment, and society.”