Marleen Suy

If you could bottle sunshine, community, and a little bit of Kiwi ingenuity — you’d probably end up with something close to Pete’s Natural. For Marleen Suy, it all began with a simple idea: that soda could be both joyful and genuine. “We squeezed our first real fruit and realised — hey, this actually works,” she laughs. “You don’t need fake flavours or shortcuts to make something people love.” From that day, her path has been clear — keep it natural, keep it local, keep it honest.

Marleen’s approach to business bubbles over with authenticity. “Our sodas are bright, a little quirky, and full of life — just like us,” she says. What keeps her going isn’t a marketing plan or sustainability target, but something far more grounded: sunlight, clean water, good soil, and care for the whenua. “We want the next generation to enjoy the same fizz we do today,” she adds.

Still, the beverage industry isn’t known for doing things the easy way — or the sustainable way. “There’s a lot of plastic, preservatives, and cheap and easy options,” she says. “Our challenge is proving that a solar-powered, real-fruit soda can stand out in a world built for shortcuts.” Packaging remains one of her biggest frustrations — she’s fizzing about cans and glass but dreams of a future where every drink is truly circular. “Imagine if every bottle or can left no footprint — just a good taste.”

Everything at Pete’s Natural flows back to people. The whakataukī that guides her — He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata — reminds her daily what matters most. “From the growers who supply our fruit, to our team, our community, and the families who open a bottle on a sunny day — it all comes down to people.”

Her respect for kaitiakitanga — guardianship of the land and sea — runs deep. “It’s not a buzzword; it’s a responsibility,” she says. “We’re caretakers, not consumers. The land gives us what we need — our job is to give back.”

When she talks about sustainability, it’s refreshingly free of jargon. “Keep it real, keep it simple, keep it human,” she says. “Tell people where your fruit comes from, how you power your work, and why you care. When you’re honest, people connect — and that’s where change begins.”

She believes Aotearoa’s strength lies in its spirit and scale. “We’re small enough to move quickly and connected enough to care deeply,” she says. “When you mix that with a bit of Kiwi creativity, anything’s possible.”

If she could plant one seed for the future, it would be this: that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand. “Real fruit, clean water, and care for the land — that’s our foundation. If a small soda company can build on that, anyone can.”

Her message to the next wave of changemakers? “Keep it local. Keep it honest. And don’t be afraid to add some fizz. Big change starts small — one idea, one step, one honest decision at a time.”

And for anyone wondering where to begin: “Start small, but start somewhere. Pick one thing you use every day — a drink, a bag, a meal — and make it kinder to the planet. Those little ripples grow.”

Read Marleen’s answers to BLOOMING Sustainability — and be inspired to let your ideas bubble over.

BLOOMING  Sustainability Questionnaire

Name: Marleen Suy

Company & Title: Owner / Operator

Website & LinkedIn Profile: https://petesnatural.co.nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marleen-suy-21169420/
 

* Guiding Values | Kaupapa

If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?

It would be like a wildflower in full bloom - bright, a little quirky, and full of life, just like our sodas. What keeps it going is good old sunshine, clean water, and care for the land. For us, sustainability is about keeping things natural and refreshing so the next generation can enjoy the same fizz we do today.

A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:

“He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.”
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Everything we do - from squeezing real fruit to running our factory on solar - comes back to people. Our growers, our team, our community, and the families who crack open a bottle or a can of Pete’s on a sunny day.

If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?  
Keep it real, keep it local, and don’t be afraid to add some fizz to the mix. Big change often starts small - one idea, one step, one honest decision at a time. Stay true to your values, look after the whenua and the people around you, and let your passion bubble over into everything you do.

* Leading Change | Arataki

A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:

For us it was the moment we squeezed our first real fruit into soda and realised - hey, this actually works. It showed us you don’t need shortcuts or fake stuff to make something people love. That’s been our path ever since: keep it natural, keep it local, keep it honest.

What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?

The beverage world can be a bit stuck in its ways with plastic, preservatives, and plenty of “cheap and easy.” The challenge is proving that a natural, local, solar-powered soda can compete with the big guys while still being kind to the planet.

An area you need more support with:

Packaging. We’re fizzing about cans and glass, but the whole industry still needs better options. We’d love to see more innovation in truly circular packaging so our drinks don’t leave a footprint, just a good taste.

An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:

Kaitiakitanga - the idea of guardianship. We admire how Māori see themselves as caretakers of the whenua and moana, looking after it for the next generation. It’s a powerful reminder that sustainability isn’t a trend, it’s a responsibility.

Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:

Keep it real, keep it simple, and keep it human. We talk about where our fruit comes from, how we power our factory, and why we care. When you strip away the jargon and add a splash of honesty, people are more likely to listen and maybe even crack a smile.

What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?
Our size and our spirit. We’re small enough to move fast, and we’ve got a deep connection to our land and people. When we mix that with a good dose of Kiwi ingenuity, we can create fresh, world-leading solutions just like turning real fruit into soda.

* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki

Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:

Anything that brings you back to the basics - the land, the water, the people. We love stories that show how small changes can make a big difference and inspire creative ways to do better, like podcasts on regenerative farming or books about circular business practices.

Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:

Field days on local farms, sustainability expos, and gatherings where innovators share ideas about clean energy and regenerative practices. Anywhere that gets people talking, tasting, and thinking differently about the way we live and work is worth the trip.

A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:

Community-led orchards and small-scale regenerative farms. They’re quietly changing the way we grow food, care for the land, and connect people to the source of what they eat and drink.

If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?

That real fruit, clean water, and a respect for the land can be the foundation for a thriving business. One small soda at a time, showing that doing good and making something people love can go hand in hand.

The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:

Anyone with courage to innovate and humility to listen - people who care about the land and their community, who lead by example and inspire others to make sustainability part of everyday life.

* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:

Start small, but start somewhere. Choose one thing you use every day - a drink, a bag, a meal - and make it kinder to the planet. Swap it for something local, natural, or reusable, and watch how that little ripple can grow into something bigger over time.

More Blooming Sustainability