Our Story
Our origin
When you're miles from anywhere, you have to be resourceful.
New Zealand has long been a land of pioneers. We Kiwis are known for our innovative, problem-solving attitude (we call it the 'number 8 wire' mentality). It's an inherent belief that anything is possible with enough ingenuity.
Science born from innovation.
New Zealand is a large exporter of agricultural products, and our science leads the way in the use of isotopes to determine the origin of products. In the true New Zealand spirit of innovation, Oritain has commercialised this science to add trust and protection to leading producers and exporters.
Our Vision and Mission
Our vision is to be the source of truth in global supply chains.
Our mission is to build a world-class business that evolves for decades to come and helps create tangible change in the world.
As global citizens, we want to contribute to the betterment and preservation of our planet, people and animals, of quality of life, and of the environment and its resources. We believe in ‘progress not perfection’, as we continuously move forward and support our partners to collectively lead change for a better future.
Our Values
We are humble - we always aim to under-promise and over-deliver.
We are inclusive - of all cultures, religions, genders and beliefs.
We are authentic - integrity and trust are at the heart of our product, and everything we do.
We are one team - no one is more important than the team, nor the trust within it.
We are global citizens - while we're proud of our New Zealand roots, it is people that matter and we're a diverse, global team.
We are future-led - we're focused on the long-term and the unlimited possibilities of our science.
New Zealand
Where academia and agriculture collide.
While we’re focused on the future, we owe our success to the vision and values instilled in our company from day one. Oritain was founded in 2008 at the University of Otago by Dr Helen Darling and Professor Russell Frew, a world-leading expert in using analytical chemistry to trace the origin of products, and advisor to the UN.
Our provenance reflects, not just the rigours of academia, but also the uniqueness of New Zealand.
Our Future
Our story has just begun.
We are building a global business that will evolve for decades to come and help create tangible change in the world.
We're committed to constantly improving the environment, social and governance-related aspects of our company and living responsible practices throughout our company.
We want to leave fingerprints, not footprints, that create real change in our world.
Who we are
Our social commitments.
As global citizens, we want to contribute to the betterment and preservation of our planet, people and animals, of quality of life, and of the environment and its resources.
We believe in ‘progress not perfection’, as we continuously move forward and support our partners to collectively lead change for a better future.
We stand for inclusion and diversity
Inclusion and diversity are at the core of our company. Our aim is to create a fully inclusive working environment and to provide equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of culture, gender, sexual orientation, disability or race. What’s more, we adopt equality and diversity in our employment practices through strong, competency-based processes to continuously improve our representation.
We stand against bribery and corruption
Oritain has a zero-tolerance policy for bribery and corruption and all business with us should be conducted in a way that is honest, transparent and ethical. Please ask us if you wish to view Oritain’s Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy.
We stand for fair wages for all
We believe that our people are the driver of our success and better performances will optimise our collective success as we scale up. Therefore, we want to ensure the health and happiness of our employees, so we pay all of our employees a living wage as officially defined in their respective geographical location, wherever they are around the globe.
We stand against modern slavery
Slave labour and child labour are a huge problem in the supply chains of many products, including coffee, cocoa, cotton and fresh produce. Our origin verification systems help to reduce the risk of modern slavery by detecting supply chains that are not compliant.
Above all, we stand for empowering people.
We aim to build a world-class business that evolves for decades to come and makes a tangible difference in the world. Because it’s people that really matter, and ensuring we do our bit to help improve the quality of life for those of us currently on our planet, honouring those that have contributed before us, and leaving a legacy for those to come. To do so, we need to trust and empower one another, for each other – in both personal life and business.
To help achieve this, we continue to invest in our people and culture, which to date has been a pillar of our success and will continue to be. We believe in putting people over process, and building a team of talented individuals, which will help us all to succeed.
Oritain - Who We Are
