Shaping the future of food

Food System Overview ILLUSTRATION COPYRIGHT SPIRA

We’re here to help you build sustainability and food resilience into the foundations of what you do.

We know that global change starts by thinking local. We help organisations throughout Aotearoa connect challenges at any part of their business to solutions that bring balance back into the way we produce, distribute and consume food.

Through education and training, you’ll discover how your organisation can meet commercial ambitions, while contributing to a system that better enables healthy people and a healthy planet.


Be a part of the Food Foundations course

The world needs new thinking and inspired leaders when it comes to cultivating change in our food system. 

Are you ready to champion the change?

We can help you. Save your seat on our next training course: Food Foundations. Our courses are either in person or online and we connect professionals across the food system who are passionate about their sector. Through a deeper understanding of our food system we know you can make better and more informed decisions that lead to better outcomes for your organisation, business and our food system.

Our trainings cover:

  • Food system transformation

  • Food waste

  • Packaging

  • Climate change

Understand how you can help shape a better way to do business, for a better world.

a book by Emily King

Understand how food is grown and made and the issues facing our food systems, and discover the tools, insights and mindset changes that chart a path towards a healthier, more sustainable and more culturally appropriate food future.

In Re-food, author Emily King advocates for a food systems approach to Aotearoa New Zealand’s troubled food networks – one that takes into account the full paths and processes from the farm to the family table. It informs decisions about the best path forward to address the plural syndemics of food insecurity, malnutrition and obesity, environmental damage and cultural suitability.

Available 30 June 2023. Paperback or e-book, 336 pages by Mary Egan Publishing.

Re-food


Who we are

Meet Emily King

Advocate for food systems change

You’ll learn from an internationally recognised thought leader in food systems change. Environmental lawyer turned advocate, Emily has more than a decade’s experience working in and researching food systems. It’s a journey that’s taken her from investigating seed practices in Cuba to running a climate change adaptation forum focusing on resilient urban food in Germany, hunting out ways to change the food system. 

Emily created Spira in 2017 to help more businesses and organisations throughout Aotearoa contribute to positive fixes in the food system.


Explore our free downloads

Where can you start to create change?

We’ve put together some helpful insights and advice to help tackle these common challenges.


We greatly value Emily’s expert knowledge and passion for encouraging sustainability for New Zealand food and drink businesses. Emily has a practical approach and always delivers high quality work. The entrants into the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards are steadily adopting more sustainable business practices, in part due to what they are learning from Emily.
— Kathie Bartley, Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards.
Spira and Emily King have helped influence Wellington’s Sustainable Food community, journey and Action Plan. As a city and community we have gained much knowledge and confidence for our own plan through Emily’s wisdom sharing, enabling, hands-on practical approach. I can’t wait to see the full benefits of what this will bring our city both in connecting communities, lowering emissions, thriving local food economy and food security
— Laurie Foon Kaikaunihera o Pōneke | Wellington City Councillor Paekawakawa Southern Ward

Tailored coaching

Let’s collaborate

We work with food businesses and industry organisations wanting to lead the world with an authentic story of their food. Do you have a specific challenge and need help creating impactful change? We can offer tailored coaching for NGOs, health agencies, nutritionists, dieticians, councils, and community groups running projects that help people have access to sustainable and healthy food.


Speaking & events

Be inspired

Food connects us. It nourishes us. It’s a part of our heritage and shapes our cultures. Yet still, many of us are disconnected from the journey our food takes before it lands on our plates. 

Spira founder, Emily, is a respected thought leader and speaker who contributes a voice for food system change, helping organisations and communities understand the impact food has on our environment - and the part we each have to play in cultivating change. She is a skilled facilitator of dialogues and conversations on crunchy food system topics - get in touch to book her to speak at your event.


Spira Digest - our writing