A future where nothing is wasted

New Zealand’s coastal waters hold some of the best kaimoana in the world. Yet, when a fish is caught and filleted, only 35% is typically consumed — with the remaining 65% often discarded. For many, those parts — heads, frames, and offcuts — are taonga. In a country where 1 in 6 people face food insecurity, this loss is not just wasteful — it’s inequitable.
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To Collect. To Gather. Together.
Special partnered with the Kai Ika whānau to bring this kaupapa to life through a brand identity, narrative, and strategy grounded in tikanga Māori. From the outset, the mahi was shaped in consultation with both Māori and Pacific communities — recognising shared values of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, and food sovereignty across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
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The central brand idea — “parts of a whole” — speaks to collective care: individuals coming together in service of the greater good, and every part of the fish honoured and used. It also reflects circularity — a system that transforms waste into nourishment, and restores balance to people and planet.

A Living Model of Circular Economy and Food Sovereignty
What began with a single container of fish heads has become a powerful movement. Over the past three years, Kai Ika has rescued and redistributed more than 155,000kg of kaimoana, now delivered three to five times a week to whānau across Tāmaki Makaurau. The service is not only meeting immediate needs — it’s advocating for sustainable practices and Indigenous-led food systems into the future.

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Design Honouring Ika as Taonga
The visual identity is drawn from the natural forms of ika — scales, fins, bones, and the flow of ocean currents. These elements interlock in rhythm and repetition, echoing the values of interdependence, regeneration, and collective wellbeing.

Kai Ika is more than a food rescue initiative — it’s a movement grounded in cultural wisdom, environmental care, and community sovereignty. One that proves when we honour every part, everyone benefits.

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