Love Me Tender
Kiwifruit: The natural way to tenderise meat.
As we’re often proud to shout about, kiwifruit is a genuine nutritional powerpack with a delicious sweet-tangy taste. But did you know that kiwifruit can also be used as a natural meat tenderiser? This lesser-known quality comes from its high content of Actinidin – a clever little enzyme that breaks down proteins.
Actinidin. The Key to Tenderising Meat
You might not add a kiwifruit marinade to an already-tender eye fillet steak, but the actinidin enzyme is perfect for tenderising tougher cuts of meat. For example:
Beef Chuck
This cut comes from the shoulder and neck area of the cow and is often used in stews and slow-cooked dishes. Marinating with kiwifruit can help tenderise the meat before cooking.
Brisket
Cut from the breast or lower chest of beef. It's a popular choice for slow cooking, smoking, or barbecuing. Kiwifruit can help break down the tough fibres, making it more tender and tasty.
Skirt Steak
This steak is known for its flavour but can be quite tough. Kiwifruit marinade is perfect for tenderising skirt steak, especially if you're planning to grill it.
Lamb Shanks
Lamb shanks are from the lower part of the leg and are full of connective tissue. They are normally slow-cooked, but pre-tenderising with kiwifruit can enhance the texture and taste.
Pork Shoulder
This cut is popular for pulled pork due to its fat content and connective tissue. Tenderising with kiwifruit can help in breaking down these tissues, making the meat more succulent.
Kiwifruit Equals Better Digestion Too
Adding kiwifruit to your daily diet can significantly improve your digestion. Rich in dietary fibre and our friend Actinidin, kiwifruit helps promote regular bowel movements and support the laxation process. Eating a kiwifruit each day can help you maintain a healthy, balanced digestive system.
Try ‘Bulgogi’ Classic Korean BBQ Beef
Korean BBQ Beef (known as Bulgogi) is a taste sensation with succulent, thinly sliced beef that's marinated in a rich blend which includes kiwifruit. When it’s ready you simply serve it with rice and kimchi. Yum!
Expanding Māori-Owned Business Legacy
In 2021, Te Awanui Huka Pak Limited (Te Awanui) acquired Kiwifruit Processing Company. Te Awanui is a 100% Māori owned business, situated in Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty. Our deep roots in the kiwifruit sector date back to the 1960s when we pioneered as the inaugural Māori kiwifruit growers in Aotearoa. Through Kiwifruitz, Te Awanui is committed to playing a significant role throughout the entire value chain, championing and supporting Māori interests.
Today, our shareholder whānau (family) holds interests worth over NZ$600 million, enabling us to make a meaningful impact through social and cultural distributions. Guided by our vision of positioning Māori at the forefront of the horticulture industry, we actively foster growth in people, performance, and opportunities.
At Kiwifruitz, we take pride in serving a diverse clientele in over 20 countries with high-quality kiwifruit purees and seeds, enhancing the flavour, nutritional value, and visual appeal of a wide variety of products. Our commitment to excellence and trusted relationships with producers pave the way for an inspiring future of collective representation and continued success. Kiwifruit Processing Company (2021) Ltd is part of the Te Awanui Huka Pak/Te Whai Ao corporate family.
Te Awanui’s operational ethos is deeply anchored in core Māori values, which guide every aspect of our business.