AUT alumna joins London celebrations
An AUT alumna was among four young New Zealand entrepreneurs who travelled to London last week to take part in the 50th anniversary celebrations of The King’s Trust, a global youth charity founded by King Charles III.
Natalia Herewini, founder of Auckland-based food business Natalia’s Food Journey, attended a series of events including a celebration concert at the Royal Albert Hall and a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
The visit brought emerging founders from Aotearoa into the centre of The Trust’s international network, recognising the contribution of young entrepreneurs to their communities and economies.
Natalia completed a Diploma in Culinary Arts with AUT in 2017 and established her business during Covid, after her employer went into liquidation during lockdowns. Since then, she has grown a mobile kitchen that operates across Auckland, catering pop‑up markets, private functions and weddings.
“We take bookings for any event that needs food,” she says. “If people are gathering, we’re there.”
The business has since expanded beyond Auckland, with the launch of an açaí‑focused food truck in Whanganui after Natalia identified a gap in the local market. That expansion was supported through He Kākano funding from The King’s Trust, enabling her to scale her operations across two centres.
Natalia says the London visit reinforced the value of connection and learning from other founders operating in different markets.
“I want to connect with other likeminded entrepreneurs, learn and get inspired from other people’s stories, and share how far I’ve come to get to where I am now,” she says.
The visit comes as AUT continues to strengthen its partnership with The King’s Trust through Ara Tipu, a start-up programme supporting students who want to start or grow businesses alongside their studies.
Through Ara Tipu, students can access entrepreneurial training, mentoring and pathways to seed funding through He Kākano, creating new opportunities for student‑led ventures to develop beyond campus.
As interest in entrepreneurship continues to grow among students, the partnership has attracted strong demand across its first two Ara Tipu cohorts and into its third starting in semester 2 this year.
Natalia’s experience highlights how local businesses can scale through access to networks, capability‑building support and international exposure.
“I’m ready to keep growing my business, taking it to another level and taking every opportunity that comes my way,” she says.