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About us
Each Atutahi flavour is harvested and united with absolute respect for our unique native ingredients.
Only with this care can we nurture and nourish your worlds within.
The seeds of thought that helped create Atutahi grew from a need for natural, low sugar and sugar-free drinks that utilised all the goodness and taste from Aotearoa’s abundant native plant life.
And the actual physical seeds behind the exceptional flavour and health benefits of our drinks?
They have been growing for centuries…
Our range
A natural drink.
A better way.
Atutahi founder Reni Wereta-Gargiulo turned to kawakawa leaves when the arthritic pain in her hands was causing her to reach for more and more artificial pain relief.
These leaves had traditionally been used as a rongoā Māori (medicine) by her ancestors. Highly regarded for its versatility, kawakawa was known to alleviate stomach and rheumatic pain and heal cuts and skin disorders. Historically it had been served as a tonic, a medium Reni began testing with different flavour accents and combinations.
Reni shared her drinks at the local market and, upon receiving glowing feedback, then talked with a local brewer about the carbonation process.
Along with her partner, Andrew, she began harvesting the premium raw materials needed to produce in greater quantities.
With Atutahi’s increasing popularity demanding further supply and support, their whanau was brought in to add their passion and skill to the growing business.
What’s in a name?
Everything.
For company founder Reni Wereta-Gargiulo, the significance of our name is all encompassing. It all began when she was searching for a word that could epitomise the innate values and intrinsic worth of her new venture.
While Atutahi is a star in the Matariki cluster ( “a lone star very much like us”), it also has incredible mana and meaning within her whakapapa. It was her cousin, the highly respected Mama Pirikahu, who first suggested taking the name of their koro/grandfather – Atutahi.
“It was a huge honour, this name I gift I never expected,” says Reni. “It makes our work that much more important – that we honour his mana in everything we do.”
It is why it was so significant when Atutahi’s last remaining son, Boy Pirikahu, blessed the creation of the range that carried his father’s name. A pastor and social worker who had worked tirelessly for any whānau in need, it was Boy’s karakia that has endowed the continued harvest and success of Atutahi.
The process
Our whānau has been harvesting treasured native leaf and berries from our whenua for many years now. This raw material is highly esteemed due to the health benefits has provided across centuries.
It is why we act as guardians to this taonga, diligently collecting ingredients from key whānau sites throughout Te Waipounamu. Preparation of our products is governed by tikanga, and a karakia is also performed when harvesting leaves and other natural ingredients.
We hope all New Zealanders can appreciate the effort put into harvesting, cultivating, and combining these valuable ingredients.