Richmond-based NZ Hops, a co-operative of 27 hop growers, is celebrating international recognition, with Nectaron®—a standout aromatic hop cultivar—making the finals in the AJ Park Commercialisation Impact category of the KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards.
Bred through a long-standing collaboration between NZ Hops Ltd and Plant & Food Research, Nectaron® has become a global success, particularly in the competitive US market.
Dean Palmer, who grows the popular Nectaron® at Hinetai Hops in Tapawera and also serves as Chair of the NZ Hops Research Committee, says the award recognises not only the commercial success of Nectaron®, but also the significant innovation of the breeding process itself.
“While being finalists in the award recognises the success of Nectaron®— it also recognises the success, changes, and new methods we have made to the programme,” Dean explains. The new methods allow for early assessment of the brewing characteristics of hops at the single bine stage, which means distinctive hop cultivars can be more easily discovered and brought to the commercialisation point quicker.
Dean says that hop breeding is generally a long game. “Nectaron® was actually bred 17 years before we commercialised it, and it was launched right when COVID hit, which made reaching brewers and getting it to market a real challenge.”
Despite that, Dean says the hop’s bold flavour profile—intense tropical notes of pineapple, passion fruit, peach, and grapefruit—quickly set it apart. Just five years after its release, over 176 hectares of Nectaron® are now planted mainly in Tasman, with sales demand for well over 250 tonnes and experiencing strong double-digit growth and now by far NZ Hops most popular hop.
A Brewers Association survey ranked Nectaron® as the fifth most-wanted hop globally, with annual sales now exceeding $7 million and expected to grow by around up to 20% each year.
“It’s had significant success and worldwide demand, with some international brewers even comparing it with the No. 1 global hop Citra™” Dean adds.
Nectaron® is a clear example of how long-term, collaborative investment in science and commercialisation can deliver impact. The breeding effort is part of a wider Bioeconomy Science Institute initiative and reflects New Zealand’s position as a leader in next gen hop innovation.
Winners of the awards will be announced on Wednesday, 22nd October, in Auckland at the 2025 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards.
