‘Waituna’ refers to a stream which runs through the Rangitikei Valley. ‘Wai’ is the Māori word for ‘water’ and ‘tuna’ is the Māori word for ‘eel’. Waituna refers to a waterway in which eels are abundant.
Our Story
Waituna Brewing is a small family-owned business which was founded in 2002. The idea to produce an ale infused with Kawakawa (Piper Excelsum) native spice plant evolved within the Poupatatē Marae kāuta (cookhouse).
There is an abundance of native flora in our area, which was traditionally utilised for medicinal purposes. We recognise the importance of respecting intrinsic tikanga (customs) thus, traditional practises are undertaken when gathering the Kawakawa and extracting the pristine spring water which flows from the mountains of the central plateau.
Over the last two decades we have revitalised, enhanced and re-introduced our whānau (family) recipe.