On 14 November 2016, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the small coastal settlement of Kaikōura, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Severe damage to critical infrastructure brought significant logistical, economic and social challenges to the town, cutting road and rail access and disrupting the collection, processing and distribution of agricultural products, and stemming the flow of tourists, the district’s key industries. Commercial fisheries and the town’s whale-watching operations were also affected when the seabed rose by two metres, limiting access to the harbour. Kaikōura faced an uncertain future, but as in many disaster contexts, these disruptions have provided a window of opportunity for regeneration, recreation and re-imagination. This paper uses qualitative case study analysis to explore post-quake transformations in Kaikōura’s food networks and food security. We present and discuss two case examples. ‘The Hospo Project’ is an award-winning initiative in which 22 local businesses collaborated on a multi-million dollar project to cater to hundreds of workers rebuilding the road and rail corridor, enabling hospitality businesses to remain commercially viable and retain staff. The second involves a broader reimagining of agriculture, food harvesting, production and distribution to enhance regional food security, which is taking many forms. These initiatives show that harnessing existing relationships and social capital can create novel pathways for rethinking local food futures. Transformation is often experienced following a disaster, only to fall back into pre-existing structures without adequate support. We conclude this paper by considering some of the factors required to ensure these initiatives are able to transition to a new and improved system, or transform into something much more original, representing wide-spread, systemic change. In particular, we highlight the need for such initiatives to be grounded in the lived reality and experiences of the local community and their understanding of place, and for transformative changes to be supported by appropriate governance and compliance arrangements and structures
