Investment insight a hit with owners

A series of new videos that give an insight into the key investments PKW has made have been well-received by owners.

The short videos, which feature PKW Farms’ Drystock and Dairy Support Units, Port Nicholson Fisheries Limited Partnership, Rockit Apples and the Mangaoapa Forestry Block, were screened at the half-yearly hui and attracted a lot of positive feedback.

“A picture paints a thousand words, so the saying goes, and we felt that giving our people the opportunity to see what the incorporation has invested in would help create a better understanding as we progress towards our diversification and investment goals,” says Mitchell Ritai, PKW General Manager Shareholder Engagement. “Articles in Whenua magazine and business reports are very informative, but these videos really bring the subject of the investments being made on their behalf to life for our people.”

The videos were made by iStudios and are part of a communications strategy that aims to build on existing information channels to ensure that PKW owners remain fully informed and engaged with the activities being carried out by the organisation.

Featuring footage of PKW whenua and kaimahi at work, the video focusing on the importance of the Drystock and Dairy Support Units outlines why breeding and raising all dairy herd replacement animals and high-quality beef stock within PKW’s own agribusiness is so important to the bottom line.

Benefits such as cost efficiencies, genetic control and ensuring the care and welfare of every animal for its lifespan are cited, along with the fact that by not bringing in replacement animals from external sources, PKW is protecting its dairy herd asset from diseases such as M. bovis (Mycobacterium bovis).

The Mangaoapa Forestry Block is a fine example of a legacy investment, one which is made without expectation of a return for at least a generation. Containing shots of more than 400 hectares planted in pine trees, taken from the air, the video really brings home the size of the project. It also features Joe Hanita, General Manager Finance and Investments!

Lobster fishermen hauling in their catch and the impressive processing facilities owned by Port Nicholson Fisheries Limited Partnership (PNFLP) star in a look at this key investment.

Initially created by bringing together 27 Māori entities, the PNFLP controls more than a third of the total NZ lobster quota and is the largest seller of kōura offshore in Aotearoa. Providing three different income streams for PKW, quota leases, rental income and a profit share from the PNFLP processing business, this investment is a key asset in the PKW diversification portfolio.

PKW’s partnership with Rockit Apples began in 2013, with the investment of $150k in a newly established orchard syndicate in Hawkes Bay. The video, featuring stunning shots of hectares of apple trees, explains that innovation is at the core of the business as the Rockit apple is a new miniature variety developed by the company specifically for the global marketplace.

The videos will be posted on the PKW Facebook page and website over the next few weeks so that everyone can watch them.

“They are not only informative but visually stunning,” says Mitchell.“There is some breathtaking footage and some beautiful shots of Taranaki maunga.”

In the wake of such positive reactions, more videos are in the planning stages, with one focusing on the work being done as part of the Kaitiakitanga Strategy.

Mitchell adds, “There are all manner of exciting projects happening at the moment and video is a great way to help people understand the organisation and what it is doing to achieve its strategic goals in more depth.

“The overwhelmingly positive reaction we have received so far shows that we are hitting the mark when it comes to keeping our owners informed.”