Green Loop, a Taranaki social enterprise launched in September 2025, is now diverting an estimated 1,000 litres of commercial food waste from landfills each week.
Working from a lifestyle block in Korito called "Eudaimonia", the group transforms organic scraps collected from 12 local business clients into nutrient-rich living soil.
Recent community working bees have allowed volunteers and staff to build four active compost systems using upcycled pallets and repurposed materials.
This location will soon open as a live demonstration space for schools, businesses, and the public to learn about sustainable waste systems.
To back their field trials with rigorous data, organisers partnered with Massey University through the Pivot Research Programme.
Laboratory testing is currently underway to evaluate compost samples for biological activity, safety, and plant growth potential.
Local farmer and scientist Caroline Gottfert said the hands-on involvement of the community has driven real progress.
"What I've loved most is that this hasn't been happening out of sight," Gottfert said, explaining that volunteers have helped build and fill systems that are now preparing for plant growth trials.
Co-founder and operations manager Mieke Verschoor emphasized that soil health is a shared responsibility rather than an issue just for scientists or farmers.
"Opening this workspace to students, businesses, and the public is an important next step, in which learning becomes collective, and solutions grow through collaboration," Verschoor said.
Collections and delivery specialist Jermaine Stewart noted that a recent two-day session with Sustainable Taranaki volunteers successfully expanded their maturation bays.
Supported by the Toi Foundation, Rabobank, and Wild for Taranaki, the project aims to establish a model that can be replicated across New Zealand.
Co-founder Sophie Walker recently pitched the venture's scaling strategy at the Venture Taranaki PowerUp Showcase Night on May 13.
By blending Bokashi-based collections with specialised composting techniques, the enterprise focuses on reducing regional emissions while actively regenerating Taranaki soils.
