Ahikā Kai is translated to mean 'food from the home fires.'  It refers to food that has been locally and sustainably harvested and produced according to the values and customs of the Ngai Tahu people - an indigenous people located in the South Island of New Zealand (Te Waipounamu).

Being a traditional hunter-gatherer people, food production is at the heart of Ngai Tahu culture and identity.  It is the cornerstone of Ngai Tahu spiritual, cultural, social, and economic well-being; and a symbol of Ngai Tahu's continuing relationship with the traditions and history that place us on our land and our waters, and ties Ngai Tahu together as an indigenous people.

The Ahikā Kai system has been developed and designed to provide an online market for small Ngai Tahu businesses specializing in food harvesting and production within traditional food producing areas.  Ngai Tahu people producing under the Ahikā Kai system are required to adhere to five sustainable production principles in the harvesting and processing of their foods.   Consumers purchasing products can trace their product via this website, and identify where their food has come from, and learn about the producer and their practices.