Food Systems Change - Masterclass with Emily King — in person — Tuesday 19 August 2025, Tāmaki Makaurau.

Multiple challenges face our food system: climate change, lack of access to food, changes to laws around GMOs and the international political scene. Yet, nationally we have a thriving group of regional and community food networks, farmers and growers, and great food businesses. What does it take to therefore reshape our food system so it can better face these challenges?

Join other professionals working and interested in food systems to learn more in this Master Class with Emily King.

About your trainer: Spira founder, Emily King, is a respected thought leader, author, and speaker who contributes a voice for food system change, helping organisations and communities understand the impact food has on our environment and health — and the part we each have to play in cultivating change. Emily leads your training, calling on over a decade’s experience working in and researching food systems, and helping organisations throughout Aotearoa and internationally, create positive change. In 2023 she wrote, Re-food the leading text on food systems change in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Purpose:

The purpose of this training is to give an overview of the food system and the issues it faces, from the environment food is grown in, through to people (not) having access to and eating food. By the end of the training all participants will have a broad understanding of the scope of the food system. The issues will be discussed and a pathway chartered forward. And if relevant for your business or organisation, you can use this training to help understand your impact and how you change the food system.

Outcomes:

Better understand the Aotearoa New Zealand food system and how it links into international and national trends.
Better understand your own food system and your sphere of influence within that.
Learn how you and your organisation can make changes in order to improve the food system.
Meet and network with other professionals working and/or interested in food systems change.
Up to date and relevant topics covered: climate change (adaptation and mitigation), food security, GMOs.

Format:
This Master Class will take place in person in Tāmaki Makaurau Aotearoa, Auckland New Zealand with a small group of people (capped at 30pax).
Materials will be provided.

Date/time:

Tuesday 19 August 2025
9:00-12:00pm

Location:

Ellen Melville Centre, Elizabeth Yates Room. Freyberg Place Auckland CBD.

Cost:

Sliding scale costs - pay as you can between $80-200 based on your organisation. Discounted price for 2 people per organisation. Option to pay it forward for someone else. Group bookings possible, contact the organiser.

What people have to say about Emily's mahi | work:

“My local community colleague and I attended a half day workshop with Emily King. Her manner and way of working was a stand out for me. Her acknowledgement that having everyone at the table is vital to a whole response to our food needs as communities. She has a clear handle on what contributes and is needed to grow and support an accessible, sustainable and rich food system. She is clear and obviously a high level thinker but also a grass roots contributor and guide for those rolling out initiatives in the kai space.” Participant in the Master Class on Food Systems Change with Emily King in Wellington, May 2025.

“Emily’s Masterclass on Food Systems Change was a great catalyst to get me thinking about how I can make a real difference. She gave the perfect amount of background information on this important subject before guiding us to think about how and where we can best put our efforts into making a difference. I have come away from this with some specific goals in mind about not only what I will do next, but who I will be attempting to contact to help make change! I highly recommend Emily as a presenter if you have an interest in, or are working in food systems and want to implement change in your organisation or community.”

Daniel (Morri) MorrimireCoordinator, Community Food Sovereignty Pou (inc. Manawatū Food Action Network, MFAN) Environment Network Manawatū (ENM)

"I attended a course Emily facilitated called ‘The Real Food Story’. I really felt the need to acquire knowledge on issues of sustainability, food systems, climate change and all the relevant global organisations. The one-day course provided a broad overview of these and included a interactive. practical exercise. The bonus was the networking with Emily and the other participants beyond the course, which continued to grow my knowledge, which in turn was applied to my role in food industry."- Regina Wypych former Head of Nutrition / Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc.

“We have worked with Emily King since 2018. Emily is the Sustainability Judge for the Outstanding Food Producer Awards. We greatly value Emily’s expert knowledge and passion for encouraging sustainability for New Zealand food and drink businesses. Emily has a practical approach and always delivers high quality work. The entrants into the Outstanding Food Producer Awards are steadily adopting more sustainable business practices, in part due to what they are learning from Emily. She is a very valuable member of our Awards team.' -Kathie Bartley, Outstanding Food Producer Awards.