OANZ Speaker Series Episode 2: Regenerative Capital
The second episode of the OANZ Speaker Series captures an important conversation about the role regenerative capital plays in financing scalable climate-friendly agriculture.
Learn how converting farms away from conventional practices to regenerative organic methods increases not only soil health, water quality and increased biodiversity, but farmer profitability. Become familiar with the metrics used to secure regenerative capital and hear real examples of how farmers have benefited from this structure.
OANZ Chair and co-founder of Karma Drinks and All Good Organics, Chris Morrison will host our two guest speakers, Robyn O'Brien, co-founder of rePlant capital and OANZ Advisory Board Member and Mike Taitoko, founder of Calm the Farm.
Date: 2 February 2021
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm NZT
About Robyn O'Brien
Robyn O’Brien has been called “food’s Erin Brockovich” by The New York Times. She is a leader in the good food movement and an advocate for organics. Robyn is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the U.S. Based in the U.S., she advocates for the growth of organic and regenerative agriculture, and works to develop reliable organic produce supply chains. As vice president of impact investment fund rePlant Capital, Robyn uses philanthropic capital to support farmers in their conversion to organic agriculture.
Robyn is passionate about New Zealand’s future as a clean and green nation. She holds ambitions to reduce regulatory risk for New Zealand’s organic producers and develop bridges for New Zealand organics in the US. She currently works with legislators, trade associations, grocery chains and major multinational food companies to better understand the changing landscape of consumer behaviour and expectations.
About Mike Taitoko
Mike Taitoko is a co-founder of Toha and Calm The Farm. Toha is building an impact investment platform to fund projects that lead to improved environmental, climate and economic outcomes.
OANZ member Calm The Farm is a Toha venture helping to scale up Aotearoa's regenerative agriculture and regenerative organics footprint. Calm The Farm is working with farmers, farm advisors, banks and investors to make sure that producers carrying out regenerative and organics practices can benefit from a global drive to fund those making positive impacts on the environment, climate and food systems. Mike also owns a data analytics company called Takiwā, is an independent director with a number of companies and is an Edmund Hillary Fellow.
About Chris Morrison
Chris Morrison started out brewing ginger beer at home. From there he grew the Southern Hemisphere’s most successful organic drinks brand, Phoenix Organics. Since selling Phoenix in 2005, he has invested in a number of ethical business start-ups. For ten years he was the founding chair of the Sustainable Business Network. He also served for a decade on the board of BioGro. Chris has been a councillor for the Soil & Health Association and has held various roles with Fairtrade Australia New Zealand.
In 2010, Chris co-founded All Good Organics with two business partners. They soon began importing New Zealand’s first organic Fairtrade bananas. In 2012, they launched Fairtrade organic soft drink company Karma Cola. Their Karma Cola Foundation supports cola nut growers and their communities in Sierra Leone. Chris is currently a director of Kokako Organic Coffee and is also on the board of the Organic Exporters Association of New Zealand.