Southeast Asian agribusiness trailblazers forge Kiwi connections
Ten rising agribusiness entrepreneurs from across Southeast Asia touched down in New Zealand earlier this year for an immersive dive into the country’s agriculture sector. From connecting with local innovators to experiencing Fieldays — New Zealand’s largest agricultural event — the visit was packed with insights and inspiration. In this article, Ray Poh, founder of Singapore-based indoor farming venture Artisan Green & Merchant Brothers, shares his highlights from the trip and why the experience left a lasting impression.
The entrepreneurs visited agribusinesses operating in a variety of sectors in both the North and South islands
My homeland, Singapore, is working toward an ambitious ‘30 by 30’ goal—to produce 30 percent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. While that vision remains a distant aspiration, it’s a benchmark New Zealand achieved decades ago, thanks to generations of farmers and innovators who turned the country’s natural abundance into a global food security powerhouse.
Coming from a fledgling agricultural environment, where land is scarce and food security is a national priority, I seized the opportunity to join the YBLI Agribusiness 2025 delegation without hesitation.
As the founder of Artisan Green, an indoor hydroponics farm, and Merchant Brothers, a premium food distribution company, the chance to immerse myself in New Zealand’s thriving agri-food ecosystem promised invaluable insights for me to contribute to Singapore in realising its self sufficiency goals.
Phillip Picot from Seed and Field discusses the company’s soil management and crop production solutions
Descending into Auckland, I was greeted by a blend of cityscape and sweeping, lush pastures dotted with livestock, a stark contrast to the bustling urban concrete jungle I have grown used to.
As I read the profiles of my fellow participants and met them on the first night, I realised we were a remarkably diverse microcosm of the agricultural ecosystem, spanning everything from farms and agri‑tech to research, sustainability, and circular systems. Diversity became a defining theme of the jam‑packed trip, as we explored every facet of New Zealand’s agriculture industry, ensuring there was something for every participant.
The diversity of New Zealand’s business landscape was evident throughout our visits to agribusinesses, where we witnessed horizontal and vertical integration across the community, creating a resilient and holistic value chain.
Through this trip, we were able to witness the underlying strength of the tripartite collaboration model between the government, research institutes and private sector in action.
Owner of Utopia Nurseries Peter Rensen talking to the group about the nursery's operations
We were fortunate to be able to join the ASEAN Ambassadors Breakfast and Panel Discussion on our first day where we saw the emphasis from the New Zealand government on international collaboration to further the local economy.
In a post-globalisation world, it is heartening to see that there are countries seeking closer ties as opposed to turning inward or retreating into protectionism.
New Zealand’s proactive approach in engaging with ASEAN partners reflects not only its openness to trade and knowledge‑sharing but also its recognition that food security, sustainability, and economic resilience are challenges best addressed through collective efforts.
Our subsequent visit to Plant & Food Research, a Crown research institute, demonstrated the government’s commitment to grounding agriculture in science and innovation.
Now merged with three other crown research institutes to form the Bioeconomy Science Institute, it exemplifies how New Zealand integrates research, government support, and industry needs. This model of commercialising government‑backed research stood out to me in particular as it forms a critical pillar which the agricultural sector can develop upon.
At Utopia Nurseries, delegates explored a large-scale commercial flower-growing operation in action
Over the course of seven short days, we visited a wide range of private agribusinesses, including Robotic Dairy Farm, Utopia Burseries, Seed & Field Services, Critical Design Papatoetoe, Makana Confections, and New Zealand King Salmon. Each visit offered meaningful conversations that deepened our understanding of the industry and provided valuable cross‑industry perspectives.
A highlight of the trip was our visit to the South Island, including a stop at the world‑famous Cloudy Bay Vineyards.
Understanding how vineyards were approaching sustainability also pinpointed an overarching issue of climate change that affects everyone.
Across the farms, research centres, and companies we visited, there is a common long-term mindset where sustainability is not a buzzword but a core operational principle.
The entrepreneurs visiting Māori-owned, Nelson-based business Wakatū Incorporation
One of the most impressive takeaways for our group was the strong sense of cultural identity that seemed to permeate every aspect of New Zealand life, from the daily Māori greetings to the deep knowledge of local heritage.
Wakatū Incorporation embodies this perfectly as they show us that there does not need to be a dichotomy between business and cultural values for a sustainable economy.
On the final day, our programme culminated in attending Fieldays where we were treated with a myriad of agricultural technology displays, local produce and even tractor racing!
The meaningful connections we as a delegation forged reflect the thoughtful selection of companies included in this programme. The camaraderie within our cross‑industry group made this trip even more rewarding, as we learnt from each other’s expertise in our different fields.
The visit culminated at New Zealand's largest agricultural event, Fieldays
It takes a village to raise a child, and in New Zealand’s case, that village is a tripartite collaboration of government, research institutions, and the private sector.
Together, this ecosystem has nurtured a resilient and globally admired agri‑food sector, one that nations around the world can learn from and aspire to emulate.
Witnessing this model in action has been a profound inspiration for me and my fellow delegates, sparking ideas on how we can each drive meaningful change within our own agricultural landscapes.
About the author
Yuan Rui (Ray) Poh (He) / Singapore
Ray is the founder of Artisan Green & Merchant Brothers. Artisan Green is an indoor farm operation with a digital farming technology platform in conjunction with Siemens. The company is currently constructing an indoor farm as part of a new farm project in Singapore to supply up to 30 tonnes of monthly produce by 2026. Merchant brothers is one of Singapore’s leading foodservice distributors specialising in fine food.
The Foundation's entrepreneurship programme supports emerging New Zealand entrepreneurs to build connections and facilitate business relationships in Asia, and supports Asian entrepreneurs to build connections in New Zealand.
The ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI) is a key part of the New Zealand Government’s ASEAN strategy. The aim of the programme is to facilitate trade and build connections between business leaders and entrepreneurs in New Zealand and Southeast Asia. This is achieved through short, targeted visits to New Zealand and Southeast Asia for ASEAN entrepreneurs and Kiwi entrepreneurs respectively.
