Matthew and Catherine Dwan’s aim to use a 139 hectare North Canterbury Farm in a more profitable and planet-friendly way, looks set to create the largest exporter of truffles south of the equator.
In fact, when 
the NZ Truffle Company’s plantation of 37,500 trees reaches full maturity in 2036, production is expected to be the largest yield in the southern hemisphere.
“At capacity, we’ll be producing around 17,250 kg of Black, White and Burgundy truffles,” says Matthew Dwan, who, along with his partner Catherine set up the NZ Truffle Company in 2017.
The crop, worth between $2500 and $3500 per kilogram, will be exported to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, where there’s a huge demand in the luxury food market for the counter seasonal supply of what’s known as “plant-based caviar”.
“With NZ already producing good yields on a boutique scale, it makes sense to produce good quality truffles at a commercial scale and export overseas,” says Matthew. “Everyone’s a winner.”
The produce from the NZ Truffle Company will be organic and have halal accreditation.
The Dwans moved from Christchurch to North Canterbury, as they were keen to give their young daughters a taste of the rural life. While exploring uses for their own lifestyle block, they discovered an opportunity to get into the large-scale commercial production of truffles to export to hungry international markets.
“New Zealand already has a reputation overseas for being a boutique producer of high-quality truffles,” Catherine says. “Rather than being another boutique grower, we wanted to become a large-scale producer – the first in the southern hemisphere.”
Such a heady ambition meant that a lot of work has gone on over the past four years into the crop and market research around what many consider a “difficult to grow” crop, including finding the ideal plot of land for truffle production.
“It’s a fussy crop, but it’s not magic to grow it,” Catherine explains. “It’s a science.”
The company has heavyweight representation at every level. The board includes James Ardern (Whittaker’s CEO), Sir Henry van der Heyden (former Chair of Fonterra) and Deep Creek Fruits Chair, Fiordland Lobster Company director Michael Ambrose and John Peebles as Chair.
Growing truffles also happens to tick the boxes when it comes to the Dwan’s objective to grow something that’s better for the planet. As Catherine explains, truffles are good for soil structure and the planet, as they only require a low water footprint. “And it’s all grown organically.”
Matthew and Catherine Dwan see commercialising truffle production as part of the direction in which farming in New Zealand should head. “It’s about heading towards high-value, sustainable crops and away from low-value commodity cropping,” Catherine says. “It’s a wonderful opportunity and we’re so excited to get it started.
For more information: thenztrufflecompany.com