The Government will spend up to $21 million over the next five years on an initiative to boost the development of new food products for export.
The Food Innovation Network is a collaboration between central and local government, industry and research and education providers.
Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee says the network, which was announced last year, will allow small and medium-sized companies to develop, test and prove new products without having to invest in their own infrastructure and equipment.
Mr Brownlee says the money for the scheme has been allocated from other, existing funding.