Sowing the seeds of dietary change

Gosia Orlowska (left), Grace Southey and David Futter manager, at Food Forest Organics.

A new, plant-based organic food store in Greytown is catering to a growing movement of people eating food that has less impact on the environment.

Food Forest Organics, owned by Hollywood director James Cameron, opened last month in the historic Baillie House, and general manager and chef David Futter says there is a real movement towards plant-based diets, coupled with an upsurge in people becoming more interested in cooking.

"There's been a real shift to making sure our ingredients are good and knowing where they come from."

He switched to a plant-based diet a year ago which he said has had positive benefits on his health.

"I do really enjoy it, your energy levels are better, you feel a lot better."

He said the philosophy of a plant-based diet was different to veganism.

"It's probably more about environmental impact first, where being vegan is first about animal rights."

Mr Cameron and his wife, Suzy Amis Cameron, have campaigned for people to move to a plant-based diet to help reduce carbon emissions.

Advocates of the diet say growing plants for food generally has less of a negative impact on the environment than raising livestock, as livestock have to eat a lot of plants to produce a smaller amount of food.

Mr Futter, a chef who owned restaurants in Australia before moving back to New Zealand six years ago, became involved in the store after cooking for the couple, who told him about their idea for it.

"When I first got the job cooking for them, I thought vegans, really?"

They ended up loving his food and he kept working for them.

He has since discovered lots of alternative ingredients and finds there is a lot more variety and creativity in cooking a plant-based diet.

"I was thinking I can't do any baking without eggs or flour."

He said eggs can be replaced by mixing ground flaxseed with water and he even has a recipe for plant-based nachos, using cashew or walnut cheese and hummus instead of dairy cheese.

REFURBISHMENT: Food Forest Organics organic and vegan store, Main Street, Greytown.

The store sells 95 per cent organic food, with fresh produce coming direct from the Cameron family farm near Featherston, as well as walnut oil, hemp seed oil and honey.

Among other things, the "one-stop shop" has beetroot noodles, coconut chocolate butter, and quinoa pasta and their cafe menu uses ingredients from the store.

Mr Futter said the store was unique in Wairarapa and probably New Zealand, and it had been received well.

"There's no doubt I thought it would be a challenge, which is why I'm really excited about how popular it is."

"There definitely seems to be a market, and not just plant-based eaters, it's for anyone that wants to try something a little bit different."

Mr Futter said the shop appealed to people who are also vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, or raw food eaters looking for alternative products like flour and spreads.

"The raw food movement is becoming quite popular now too.

"What people are appreciating is they don't have to travel to Wellington to get the products."

He said the next development would be offering cold-pressed juices and producing more organic food locally.

They also offer apartment accommodation above the store.