F+B Technology Magazine | Feb/Mar 2022

February/MARCH 2022

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Vol. 3

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No. 2

INNOVATION WINNERS FROM SIAL AMERICA

EXPOS ARE BACK

editors note Tania Walters Publisher

tania@reviewmags.com

A Hard Harvest Season, But Kiwi Growers are Resilient

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ever have consumers been so engaged with what they eat and drink.

Trends in sustainability and food origins and security

are converging with enormous investment in food technology, e-commerce, and delivery and the intersection of these trends is creating a new era of transparency across the entire farm to fork journey.

This has disruptive implications for food supply chains and the broader consumer path to purchase.

Brands are having to adapt with new methods of brand storytelling, pivoting to local sourcing and sustainable packaging, and exploring new routes to market – good news for local growers, packaging manufacturers and ingredient producers.

Harvest season has begun for Aotearoa’s billion-dollar wine

industry, as well as our apple, pear, and kiwifruit industries, and while crops are looking good, these sectors are facing major hurdles due to COVID protocols and a lack of workers.

The start of wine harvest in the South Island was celebrated at the end of February, under strict Covid-19 protection protocols, with Hurunui Mayor Marie Black picking the first grapes at Greystone’s vineyard.

Black said the combination of challenging weather and working in a Covid environment this season placed additional pressure on local vineyards.

“The North Canterbury Wine

Region is a crucial part of our district’s fabric, and I can only imagine all the hours and hard work that has gone in to getting to this point.”

There is currently a shortage of 6,500 backpackers in the country due to border closures. Added to that is both a shortage of seasonal workers from overseas, and New Zealand workers due to the Omicron wave.

Kiwi growers are resilient, however, and for some, this season looks to be the most promising in years.

tania@reviewmags.com

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F&B TECHNOLOGY launched to facilitate the connection between food and beverage suppliers of technology, ingredients and packaging across the food and beverage manufacturing sectors for fmcg and foodservice. Copyright 2022

ISSN No.

ON THE COVER:

The Fresh Chile Company won gold in the SIAL Innovation Awards at SIAL America, Las Vegas.

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CHAIRMAN PETER MITCHELL PUBLISHER Tania Walters GENERAL MANAGER Kieran Mitchell EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Mitchell EDITOR Caitlan Mitchell SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Sophie Procter ADVERTISING SALES info@reviewmags.com SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento GRAPHIC DESIGNER Debby Wei

Retail 6, Heards Bldg, 2 Ruskin St, Parnell, Auckland. PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 3040142 Email: edit@reviewmags.com

2744-3566 (ONLINE) - 2744-5895 (PRINT)

OUR PARTNERS: food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

news NEW CEO AT PIVOTAL TIME FOR LION

Lion has appointed Diageo executive Sam Fischer as its new chief executive at a “pivotal time” for the group. Fischer will join the brewing group from Diageo, where he is President Asia Pacific and global travel, and a member of the Global Diageo executive committee. “It is a privilege to be joining Lion – a company with a proud 180-year history in Australia and New Zealand, incredible stable of locally loved brands and a growing craft beer business in the United States,” Fischer expressed. He will take the helm at Lion in July this year, when current chief executive Stuart Irvine will step down after nine years leading the Japanese-owned but Kiwi-founded beverage company.

FONTERRA TO TRIAL FIRST ELECTRIC MILK TANKER Once home to the country’s biggest fleet of electric milk trucks, Fonterra’s Waitoa milk factory will be trialling the first modern electric milk tanker over the next dairy season. The new electric tanker, partly funded through the Government’s new Low Emission Transport Fund, is being fitted out in the dairy co-operative’s Morrinsville tanker depot and is due to hit

the road in early May. “This is an exciting space for the co-operative to be in right now, the amount of technology and research going on in this area globally is just phenomenal,” said Fonterra chief operating officer Fraser Whineray. “We’re exploring multiple options for renewable heavy transport, particularly in rural settings.” Read more online

Read more online

HISTORIC TRADE DEAL SIGNED

New Zealand and the United Kingdom have overnight signed a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that unlocks unprecedented access to the UK market and accelerates New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery, say Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor. “This is a goldstandard free trade agreement. Virtually all our current trade will be duty free from entry into force, including duty-free quotas for key products like meat, butter and cheese, helping to accelerate our economic recovery,” Ardern said. “The deal will boost our GDP by up to $1 billion, supporting business and jobs across the economy.” Read more online

DANONE OCEANIA NOW AUSTRALASIA’S BIGGEST F&B CERTIFIED B CORP

Danone, a leading global health-focused food and drink company has announced it is joining the B Corporation (B Corp) movement in Australia and New Zealand by certifying its wholly owned businesses in the region. B Corp is a growing global business movement committed to the highest levels of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

“We’re thrilled to have achieved B Corp certification across our whollyowned businesses in Australia and New Zealand. The journey to certification isn’t an easy one and nor should it be. B Lab has rightly set the bar very high, which makes the achievement all the more rewarding for every Danone employee in Australia and New Zealand,” commented Head of Corporate Affairs, Scott Pettet. Read more online

NEW $40M COLD STORE FACILITY FOR HAMILTON

National freight carrier Freightways is building a large, $40-million cold store facility in Hamilton to meet growing demand for fresh and frozen delivery services. The purposebuilt 13,000-square-metre cold store facility for its Big Chill business will be constructed by Tainui Group Holdings at Ruakura Superhub, bringing the total number of Freightway’s cool store depots to 10. The facility was expected to open in July 2023 and would be capable of storing up to 16,000 temperature-controlled pallets. Read more online

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news FRUCOR SUNTORY PARTNERS WITH PITA PIT

Frucor Suntory is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with Pita Pit NZ. The partnership will see Frucor Suntory become Pita Pit New Zealand’s exclusive beverage partner from March 1, 2022.

This will allow more people to enjoy Frucor Suntory’s portfolio of choice at Pita Pit’s 87 restaurants across New Zealand. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with one of New Zealand’s leading quick service restaurants,” expressed New Zealand Head of On The Go, Justin Ramsay. “Signing a multiyear partnership with Pita Pit showcases our desire to grow our PepsiCo portfolio across multiple channels.” Read more online

FIRST-EVER SIAL AMERICA INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS

The winners of the first ever SIAL Innovation Awards at SIAL America have been announced after an intensive round of jury deliberations.

Judges with a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise chose the winners of the prestigious awards after being presented with an impressive set of innovative foods to consider. The Gold award in the SIAL Innovation Awards was presented to The Fresh Chile Company for its Freeze Dried Hatch Chile, which is billed as the only freeze-dried chile in the world, making the product a perfect recipient of a SIAL Innovation Award. “Our chile is always fire-roasted, cleaned, and chopped within hours of being harvested. Then we freeze-dry it, perfectly preserving that one-of-a-kind chile flavour that you can only get from Hatch Chiles.” Read more online

SENSE THE DIFFERENCE

We are at home everywhere in the world Brenntag New Zealand Limited Level 2, Building C 602 Great South Road Ellerslie, Auckland 1051 New Zealand Phone: +64 9 275 0745 info-nz@brenntag-asia.com www.brenntag.com/food-nutrition

36903_BT_NZ_Food_184x128mm_En.indd 2

Brenntag Food & Nutrition is well positioned to cater to its business partners’ needs at a local level. Thanks to our strong infrastructure in 73 countries and 30 application & development centres, we are engrained in the local culture and business. You will benefit from this extensive market, industry and product know-how, including our understanding of regulations, policies, challenges and developments.

We are passionate about Food & Nutrition.

From bringing you the right ingredients and

innovative solutions, through to optimising your formulation and supply chain, our team lives and breathes the world of food.

We are the partner who puts your needs in the centre of everything we do. We have a broad and deep product offering, and work with the best suppliers in the industry. We reduce your compliance burden with a dedicated quality and regulatory team and seek to lead the way in safety and responsibility, managing the many complexities of the food industry.

03.12.20 09:42

February/March 2022

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growing nz

NEW ZEALAND’S $1BILLION WINE GRAPE HARVEST GETS UNDERWAY

The first grapes of the 2022 vintage have been harvested, with ongoing international demand and low stock levels meaning that winemakers are hoping for a significantly larger harvest this year.

“T

he 2021 harvest, while of exceptional quality, was 19 percent smaller than the previous year. Over the past 12 months this has forced wineries to draw down on stocks to maintain their place in market. New Zealand wine sales for 2021 were 324 million litres, meaning they were 48 million litres more than was actually produced in the 2021 vintage. This stock drawdown highlights that we desperately need a bigger harvest in 2022, to replenish cellars, and help satisfy international demand,” said Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers.

“Over the past 12 months many New Zealand wineries have faced tough decisions over who they can supply in their key markets, and the ongoing increase in international demand has placed huge strain on already depleted stocks. For some wineries, there has been quite simply just not enough wine to go around.

“Encouragingly, the ongoing demand for New

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Zealand wine has proven, once again, that the distinctive flavours, quality and sustainability of our wines increasingly resonate with consumers around the world. It is positive to see that during these uncertain times, consumers continue to choose a premium product they know that they can trust.”

Increasing production costs and the on-going effects of COVID-19 on the border, markets, and supply chains have continued to impact the industry, and over the past 12 months the availability of labour has been a huge concern for many growers and wineries.

“The introduction of Omicron into the New Zealand community on the cusp of vintage 2022 is a very serious concern for growers and wineries, as this is our busiest time of year, and we are already facing a critical labour shortage in some regions,” continued Gregan.

“The unavailability of skilled workers due to the ongoing closure of New Zealand’s borders means undoubtedly this vintage will be more difficult to manage than normal.”

Wine businesses that sell predominantly through the on-premise and tourism sectors also continue to experience significant setbacks.

“Domestically, red light restrictions on operations of hospitality businesses are a major challenge for wineries dependent on that sector.

Cellar doors have been hit hard by the collapse in international tourist numbers over the past two years. Positively, we have seen more New

Zealanders visiting cellar doors, but there are long, lean periods as we move out of the traditional Kiwi holiday period.”

Although the coming vintage is expected to be challenging, the experience of operating harvest during COVID times in both 2020 and 2021 has strengthened the industry in its resilience to respond quickly and adapt during difficult times.

“Over the past two years, wineries and growers have proven that they can manage the threat of COVID well, continue to operate effectively, and adapt processes to ensure they protect workers and other New Zealanders. Our industry’s most important priority continues to be keeping our people and our communities safe during this uncertain time. We are looking forward to another harvest of excellent quality and believe an optimistic approach and helping one another will get us through.”

BIG CROP, BUT SOME HURDLES AHEAD FOR APPLE AND PEAR GROWERS

New Zealand’s 2022 apple and pear season is well underway, with T&G Global harvesting the first of this season’s apples. Together with its growers, T&G is planning to pick more than 6.5 million tray carton equivalents (TCEs) this year – the equivalent of 120,000,000 kilograms of apples.

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raig Betty, Director of Operations for T&G Global, said the quality is looking good across all varieties this season, with fruit generally sizing well.

Meanwhile, New Zealand apple and pear exporter JR’s Orchards has begun its most promising season for two years buoyed by ideal pre-season conditions and its tenacity to grow key markets against the global pandemic backdrop.

Operations director Jamiee Burns said JR’s Orchards would export some 255,000 cartons of apples during the 14-week program – an increase of 25 per cent on its last solid season in 2020. Its ECCO brand is renowned globally for delivering quality apples and pears while its Capital brand was developed for apples to allow a strategic differentiation in the marketplace. It will market some 10,000 cartons of pears – its small, secondary line – between March and May. JR’s Orchards grows and markets four pear and six apple varieties to Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Pear season began on February 28 and apple season on March 3 with Royal Gala apples the first.

“Apple size is up by two counts on all varieties due to near-perfect conditions. We had a mild spring and warm summer. Although we have irrigation, we haven’t used it because natural rainfall has boosted fruit size and quality. After going into the past two seasons off the back of a drought, this is a pleasant change,” said Burns.

Growers Worried About Lack of Workers With a potential 23.2 million 18kg boxes packed off for sale overseas, apple grower and exporter Simon Easton is worried. He has half the normal number of labourers and few backpackers.

Tasman-based Easton of Wairepo Holdings said the fruit is colouring and looking good, but because of a labour shortage and high costs he may have to leave some of it to rot. Easton calculated he may only get the first-class apples picked for export and have to leave the rest, which

he has never done before.

He is weighing up this option because freight costs have doubled, and he is down about 30 recognised seasonal employer (RSE) workers. He has virtually no backpackers to draw on either.

“It would be heartbreaking to see 11 months of work going to waste in this way,” Easton said.

He said he would know in about a month if this is what he would need to do.

“It’s a scary harvest this time.”

Recently appointed New Zealand Apples and Pears chief executive Terry Meikle said, with Omicron hovering, the labourers who were available might not even be able to work throughout the season.

“The challenges for harvest are compounded by the arrival of Omicron in Tonga and Samoa, coupled with the ongoing disaster recovery effort in Tonga,” Meikle said.

“We are working hard with the NZ and Pacific Governments, Air New Zealand, our employers and of course our Tongan workers, to return home those in need and bring back those who are ready to return.

“The economic recovery of the Pacific and the success of the New Zealand apple and pear sector are linked. Our horticulture industries are the largest non-government employers of workers from Pacific countries.”

Meikle said the opening of the border was unfortunately too late for this season’s harvest.

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2022 KIWIFRUIT HARVEST KICKS OFF

New Zealand’s 2022 kiwifruit harvest has kicked off with the first crop being picked in Te Puke and more kiwifruit to be picked around New Zealand over the coming months.

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he 2022 season has the potential to be another record-breaking year with more kiwifruit produced than ever before. A forecast of at least 190 million trays will need to be harvested, overtaking last year’s record of over 177 million trays. On average, each tray has around 30 pieces of kiwifruit.

Zespri’s new RubyRed variety is picked first which is then followed by the Gold and Green varieties. The harvest traditionally peaks in midApril and runs through until June.

The sweet, berry-tinged tasting Red kiwifruit will also be picked for supermarket shelves in New Zealand and some overseas markets this year.

2022 marks the first year that RubyRed will be sold as a commercial variety.

“With this season’s harvest about to commence, growers and the wider industry will again be following all government protocols and working hard to safely pick, pack and ship what’s expected to be another bumper crop of at least 190 million trays, maybe more,” noted Zespri’s Chief Grower, Industry and Sustainability Officer, Carol Ward.

“As well as a continued increase in our SunGold Kiwifruit volumes this season, we’re excited for the first year of commercial volumes of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit which we know is keenly

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anticipated by our consumers in New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and China.”

The success of the 2022 kiwifruit harvest hinges on the ability for industry’s supply chain to operate effectively under the quickly changing COVID-19 settings. The industry requires 24,000 people to pick and pack the crop.

However, forecast surges in COVID-19 infection rates are expected to restrict the availability of New Zealanders. In addition, the opening of New Zealand’s borders is expected to be too late to replace the 6,500 backpackers required for harvest.

New Zealand has some 2,800 growers who produce kiwifruit across over 13,000 hectares of orchards between Kerikeri in the north and Motueka in the south.

CEO of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. (NZKGI), Colin Bond said that the industry has built experience over the past two years on how to operate a harvest under COVID-19 restrictions.

“The health and safety of our workforce is our first priority and NZKGI is working continually with government agencies to develop operational processes to mitigate COVID-19 infections.

The industry is working collaboratively to do everything we can to get all the fruit off the vines

– and that must be done in a way which puts our people first.”

2022 marks NZKGI’s fourth year of its labour attraction campaign, to attract seasonal workers to pick and pack in the harvest.

“I strongly encourage everyone to roll up their sleeves and join the team to harvest this iconic piece of kiwiana”, said Bond.

“Picking is a great opportunity for those who like to be in the outdoors, while the packhouse is suited to those who like to have fun in larger teams indoors.”

The kiwifruit industry requires 24,000 people to pick and pack over a typical harvest but is drastically short of workers this season due to the lack of international workers, such as backpackers or workers from overseas who normally travel to New Zealand for seasonal work.

There is currently a shortage of 6,500 backpackers due to border closures. Added to that is both a shortage of seasonal workers from overseas, and New Zealand workers due to the Omicron wave. This season, an experienced picker can make over $60 an hour or $500-600 a day. Even a beginner who has never done the work before can make $30-$40 an hour.

While top dollar is offered for pickers, some prefer the fixed wages in packhouses, which are not weather dependent. These businesses are also competing for workers, and have upped their pay rates accordingly, with wages starting from $24 per hour, plus holiday pay and incentives.

The kiwifruit industry is an important player for communities across New Zealand, contributing $2.2bn in 2021.

Kiwi Discovery Set to Boost Horticulture Exports ANew Zealand neuroscientist’s research into recovery from brain injuries is set to provide a multimillion-dollar boost to New Zealand horticultural exports. Dr Jian Guan led an Auckland University study with Otago University which discovered that New Zealand blackcurrants contain elevated levels of cyclic Glycine-Proline (cGP), a key brain nutrient that normalises a hormone essential for overall body health, which has led to development of a new export market. A distribution deal between cGP Max, an Auckland based company established to commercialise the discovery, and a major food ingredients distributor in China will see the export of more than 10 tonnes of raw ingredients delivering cGP - over the course of the next three years. Read more online

HortNZ 2022 Industry Training Scholarships Now Open Every year Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) offers scholarships that are open to New Zealand students and trainees who have a special interest in the fruit or vegetable industry and are undergoing significant industry training or education with a vocational provider. HortNZ is offering a number of $500 scholarships available to industry trainees active in the Horticulture Industry who are studying towards a certificate or diploma. Applications are due in March, reviewed by a panel in April with the selection decision advised in May. Read more online

BOP Facility Ready for Kiwifruit 2021 Young Horticulturist Announced For the third consecutive time, a viticulturist has won the Young Horticulturist competition.

Blenheim’s Rhys Hall, 28, who works in Waihopai Valley as assistant vineyard manager for Indevin, took out the top title after intense competition. In winning the grand award, Hall follows in the footsteps of Simon Gourley, and before that, Annabel Bulk. Both those viticulturists were based in Central Otago when announced as competition winners. “The trust is doing an amazing job and I really appreciate that this competition exists for young people to develop, and I hope it inspires other young people to join the horticulture sector.” Read more online

Mount Pack & Cool’s Stage 4 expansion is ready to start packing this season’s kiwifruit after being completed on time, on budget and on spec, expressed Managing Director Brendon Lee. “We’ve taken growers through the building, and they can see how the investment will benefit them through cost-savings in top-of-the-line, labour-saving technology,” he said. The addition of a new packhouse fitted with a state-of-the-art packing line and bin curing room, 17 controlled atmosphere (CA) stores and four coolstores, make its site at Tauriko the largest individual kiwifruit post-harvest site in New Zealand, employing 600 people. Read more online

New Weather Tool Set to be a Gamechanger

Anew tool being developed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) to forecast drought and dry

conditions could help growers and farmers be better prepared.

NIWA meteorologist, Ben Noll, said scientists will use a weather

model released in the United States in 2020 and refine it for New Zealand’s complex terrain.

It will involve some “data science and deep learning” to understand the New Zealand context. The new forecast tool will sit alongside the New Zealand Drought Index which was developed and launched in 2017. It measures the current status of drought across the country and measures the duration and intensity of recent dryness. In other words, it is an observation of drought once it has happened.

Read more online

growing nz Iwi to Receive $1.27M for Horticulture Programme

AWaikato-based iwi has received $1.27 million from the Government to develop a horticulture programme. Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust received $1.12m from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre [SFF] fund, a programme that will empower whānau to upskill, diversify their businesses and sustainably generate wealth from their land. A further $150,000 was granted from the Ministry of Social Development, and the Te Waharoa Investments Limited - the commercial arm of Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust - is co-investing a further $775,000. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced that the three-year Peria Horticultural programme will help Ngāti Hauā Iwi Land Trust and landowners’ businesses to flourish by developing an education hub and trialling high-value crops. Read more online

A Warming Earth will Move Traditional Growing Regions

Young Viticulturist of the Year Announced

Congratulations to Sam Bain from Villa Maria, Hawke’s Bay, the 2021 Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year. Now in its sixteenth year, the NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year provides a fantastic opportunity for viticulturists 30 years or under to upskill, grow in confidence, widen their network, and start making a name for themselves within the industry. It begins with six regional competitions and culminates in a national final. “I’ve finally got it!” Said Bain, with a mix of relief, pride and excitement, as it started sinking in that all his hard work had paid off. Read more online

Anew report has predicted that, as climate change progresses, the most suitable regions for growing arabica coffee, cashews, and avocados will decline in some of the main countries that produce these crops.

Leading the study, Dr. Roman Grüter and his colleagues at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland, combined climate change projections and soil factors to model how suitable various regions will be for growing crops in 2050. They used projections from 14 global climate models under three different future emission scenarios and incorporated land and soil requirements for the crops, such as pH, texture, and slope. The analysis found that all major coffee-producing regions face a decline in suitability, including Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia.

Read more online

The Fruit That’s Exceeding Decarbonisation Targets According to Zespri, the kiwifruit industry has exceeded the first-year requirements under the New Zealand government’s primary sector partnership on climate action, He Waka Eke Noa. In its latest Kiwiflier update, the kiwifruit co-op said that He Waka Eke Noa was designed to support the decarbonisation of New Zealand’s primary sector and in 2021 required 25 percent of large growers, those over 80ha, to know the carbon impact of fertiliser use within their operations and have a plan to reduce it. “A small number of grower entities were subject to the requirements and worked together with New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated

and Zespri to develop the knowledge and systems needed to show the kiwifruit industry’s commitment to playing its part,” Zespri said.

Read more online

Seeding the Future International Grant Winners Announced The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has announced the winners for the inaugural Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge– an initiative which seeks to inspire and support innovative, diverse, and multidisciplinary teams to create game-changing innovations that will help transform the food system. To incentivise innovation at all levels, including idea generation, development, and scale up, the Challenge offers three levels of awards consisting of Seed Grants, Growth Grants, and a Grand Prize category, totalling more than $1 million. “Throughout the selection process, we saw truly inspiring and revolutionary innovations developed by highly motivated teams from all over the world to address the challenges facing our food system on a regional and global scale,” said Bernhard van Lengerich, founder of Seeding The Future Foundation. Read more online

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Chocolate

Do you grow, manufacture, store, transport, or sell food & beverage products?

There are food rules you need to follow.

It’s easy.

Go to foodsafety.govt.nz/myfoodrules to find out: • the plan or programme you need to use • where to register your business, and • who can verify your business.

Do you import food & beverage products?

• You must be a registered food importer (or use a registered agent). Go to foodsafety.govt.nz/ register-as-a-food-importer • You may need a registered plan or programme.

Go to foodsafety.govt.nz/myfoodrules

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SON

ING

Any questions about food rules? Contact New Zealand Food Safety at foodactinfo@mpi.govt.nz or phone 0800 00 83 33

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meetthe grower

C 26 Seasons is an urban farm that uses innovative technology to grow a range of fresh microgreens within a two-week cycle.

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o-founder, innovation and R&D officer Matt Keltie was brought up in the sheep and beef industry. After studying agriculture and economics at university, Keltie ended up working for a corporate farmer in Wellington.

Keltie met his current business partner during this role, and the two got to talking about hydroponic growing. After some experimentation, it progressed from there.

“We had a site under a building in Wellington, supplying 10-ish restaurants and chefs. After we did Wellington on a Plate, we got a great response which really helped our exposure.”

Hydroponics is the method

of growing without soil. In the absence of soil, the water provides the nutrients, hydration, and oxygen necessary for the plant.

“When people say hydroponics, it takes on multiple meanings.

It ranges from growing in a field with watering tubes to what we do which is having plants stacked vertically under grow lights and a programmed watering system unique to each variety.”

Different plants sit under different lights to make them do different things, Kelti explained.

“The lights influence the way the microgreens taste, so when we make a minor change, you can taste it. I remember I had one set of radishes growing under one set of lights and another set under

different lights and I took both to a chef who tried them, and he told me he could taste a difference.

“We’re constantly pushing to test different techniques for our growing. We’re a tech company that farms instead of a farming company that uses tech, I like to say.”

It is this innovative use of technology that allows 26 Seasons to grow microgreens within a twoweek cycle.

“We grow everything from seed. We treat the seeds and then run them through a germination process which allows the seeds to germinate very quickly.

“Then we put them in the growing system. The shorter varieties we can have out at as little

as six days, whereas others can take up to 21 days.

“New Zealand is known for its number eight wire solutions and there’s a bit about our business that is derived from that approach.

That’s what you do when you’re starting out, but we’ve moved into commercial solutions to the aspects of the growing process.

“I still look around and see a lot of duct tape and zip ties, but our newer sites are a lot techier and upgraded.”

As hydroponic growing doesn’t use soil, 26 Seasons substitutes the dirt with a grow mat.

“We currently use wool grow mats, but we’re hoping to switch to an organic hemp material.

Each medium you grow in has its

own unique properties - residual nutrients, residual pH’s for example - that affects the plants and how they grow.

“The hemp material is compostable instead of biodegradable and will be certified organic.”

Naturally, the whole set-up of urban microgreen farming is inherently sustainable, but 26 Seasons has some additional practices.

“We farm in an unused building in the city, so we have a low footprint and we recycle our water.

“We use the grow mats, and recyclable plastic trays made from recycled plastic which we collect and reuse from our customers.”

While Covid closed restaurants and cafes, 26 Seasons’ main client

base, sales were compensated by supermarkets. But that is not the biggest challenge the growers face.

“Our biggest challenge has been helping people understand what our product is and how to use it.

“Microgreens are on-trend overseas but we’re not putting out a new brand of alternative milk. We’re putting up a highly nutritious product that can be used for more than just a garnish and it’s been difficult educating consumers and customers.”

A microgreen is the first growth phase of a plant and is more flavourful and up to 100 times more nutrient than the mature plant. With time, Keltie hopes microgreens will become more widely known and accessible.

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exposareback

AFTER TWO TUMULTUOUS YEARS TRADE SHOWS ARE BACK!

Trade shows have been a crucial sales and marketing tool for centuries. They allow businesses to showcase their goods, disperse knowledge and talk about industry trends in a tailored environment. Over the last two years, trade shows and expos have had to pivot to online offerings after COVID prevented face-to-face interactions.

With COVID and travel restrictions starting to lift, trade shows and expos are back!

The History of Trade Shows To understand the importance and impact of trade shows, we need to examine the heritage and history behind the events.

‘Trade fairs’ became popular in medieval Europe, particularly in the Champagne region of France. Local merchants would gather in towns for 2-3 weeks and exchange goods such as spices, fur, leather, and other agricultural commodities.

These fairs were instrumental in the development of merchant capitalism and revived the economic landscape of the medieval times.

They also spread culture influences throughout Europe.

In the 18th-century, large industrial trade fairs were common as the industrial revolution boomed, and new manufacturing tools and processes were developed.

In the 19th-century, industry-specific trade shows became popular, and in the 20th century exhibition venues were built. Event management companies emerged to help exhibitors get the best from these events.

In the 21st-century, trade shows are popular

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throughout the world, and there is a huge calendar of events that remains on rotation every year, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many trade shows now offer an online, virtual version of their event.

Why Exhibit at a Trade Show?

Exhibiting at a trade show provides visibility and credibility to your company. It allows you to establish and build a presence in your target market. Additionally, it allows you to make new leads, attract new customers, and eventually build a more established and renowned brand.

Brand Awareness and Credibility • Your presence at a trade show builds brand awareness and gives credibility to your brand.

Your prospective customers will want to know they can trust you. If they see your business at trade shows on a regular basis, they will gradually build up awareness and understand that you are an established business that can be trusted.

Lead Generation • It is very easy to fall into the trap in thinking that you know all the major players in your field and that you won’t meet anyone new. New businesses are starting up all the time, and sadly some cease trading. Trade shows help you keep across anyone new coming into your market, giving you a potential new customer.

Industry Knowledge • Trade shows are a good forum to find out the latest news from within your own industry.

You will learn of what changes are happening with other players in the market, as well as keeping across your competitors’ products and service offerings.

New Zealand on the World Stage Expo 2020 Dubai kicked off at the end of last year, bringing the international community together, both physically and virtually, and

presenting a chance to build on Aotearoa’s brand.

When visitors step into the New Zealand pavilion, they experience the story of the Whanganui River, and learn about kaitiakitanga – the mutual reliance and connection between people and the environment.

“The ethos of kaitiakitanga can be a guide to tackling universal problems like climate change, population growth and social challenges,” explained Dale Stephens, NZTE’s Director of Māori Partnership.

“It can help us see ways to do business ethically and live authentic, balanced lives.”

New Zealand’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai will be an important one. The six-month event, which runs from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022, is an opportunity for the international community to come together again for one of the first times since the COVID-19 pandemic to exchange ideas and lead discussions on many critical and important global issues.

New Zealand’s pavilion is located in the Sustainability District of Expo Park. The theme, ‘Care for People and Place’, is derived from the Indigenous environmental ethos of kaitiakitanga, reflecting our role as guardians across all we do and create.

New Zealand’s presence at Expo 2002 Dubai, underpinned by Indigenous values, provides an opportunity to connect with the world at a cultural level – developing affinity and relationships, building trust, and showing our commitment to long-term growth and prosperity.

New Zealand’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai will show the international community that we are a country that has embedded Indigenous values. It also shows that we take a long-term view of the world to form partnerships and take actions that will have lasting effect, not just for New Zealanders, but for all people, not just for now but for future generations.

Accelerate innovation.

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We bring more than a century of global expertise to Australia and New Zealand.

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NutritionANZ@adm.com February/March 2022

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exposare back

FIRST SIAL AMERICA TAKES LAS VEGAS BY STORM

The SIAL Network has over 50 years of experience in delivering food industry events that provide critical business connections and inspiring conference content. SIAL America is the newest show in SIAL Network’s global portfolio of events.

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n acknowledgment of SIAL’s long-standing reputation as a premier event host for the food & beverage industry, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) made the rare move of endorsing the inaugural edition of SIAL America.

It has been described as the first generalist B2B food trade show for the United States, which until now has hosted trade shows that focus on particular sectors of the food industry.

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SIAL America was built on a rich heritage of world-class SIAL food-and-beverage shows that also includes SIAL Paris, SIAL Canada Toronto and SIAL China Shanghai, among others. All of the shows together attract more than 16,000 exhibitors and 700,000 visitors from 200 countries.

SIAL Innovation Awards

The winners of the first ever SIAL Innovation Awards at SIAL America have been announced after an intensive round of jury deliberations.

Judges with a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise chose the winners of the prestigious awards after being presented with an impressive set of innovative foods to consider.

The Gold award in the SIAL Innovation Awards was presented to The Fresh Chile Company for its Freeze Dried Hatch Chile, which is billed as the only freeze-dried chile in the world, making the product a perfect recipient of a SIAL Innovation Award.

The freeze-dried chile rehydrates

in minutes and is said by the company to be just like freshly roasted chile. It has no preservatives, calcium chloride or salt.

For the silver award in the SIAL Innovation Awards, judges selected Grilled pumpkin with virgin olive oil from Tipi Cilentani, a brand owned by R & M S.r.l.s, which is run by two members of the same family, Rosa and Marco Orlando.

Bronze in the SIAL Innovation Awards was given to Bloody Mary Medley from Tillen Farms

by Stonewall Kitchen. This is an assortment of vegetables in a jar pickled in a tasty mix of vinegar and spices.

Other finalists included cream cheeses from Pansardo Poderoso Deliziosi, and a selection of individually wrapped sandwiches from Butterball, among them Mozzarella and Arugula Pesto On Ciabatta.

Next on the Expo Calendar: SIAL Shanghai 2022 SIAL Shanghai is a one stop B2B Food and Beverage Industry Fest. Since 2000, SIAL Shanghai has served as a launchpad for food and beverage companies looking to expand abroad, and inspiring food business through sharing valuable

insights and trends, connecting exhibitors and buyers, hosting industry-recognised events, and celebrating innovation.

Asia’s largest food and beverage innovation exhibition, SIAL China, is strategically located in Shanghai, a gateway to Asia, and a global centre of finance and innovation.

From May 18th to 20th, 2022, SIAL Shanghai will be held in Shanghai International Expo Centre. It is expected to attract 4,500 exhibitors and 150,000 professionals from around the world to showcase leading products and new gems, exchange thoughts and opinion of the whole industry.

The exhibition will cover 15 categories of food and drink products, including meat, dairy products, agricultural products, beverages, sweets, snacks, grocery foods, canned foods, frozen foods, convenience foods, fruits and vegetables, condiments, aquatic products, organic foods, and health foods.

There will also be events, including SIAL Innovation, La Cuisine, Healthy Diet-21 Dishes, Famous Chef Show, Coffee Events, Seafood Fest, and Livestreaming.

Plus 10 not-to-be-missed forums and summits, including:

Food Supply Chain Forum

The supply chain is the lifeline of economic globalisation and global trade. The global economy is recovering this year, along with the emerging problem of global supply chain shortages due to the pandemic. More and more enterprises begin to build their own supply chain systems to tackle the crisis in the overall situation.

Meanwhile, the research and production of alternative food can be another way to solve the

shortages of the supply chain.

Food & Beverage Investment Forum

Food is an essential consumer product in people’s daily life, and it has always been one of the most popular industries in the capital market. With the upgrading of consumer consumption concept, many new market growth opportunities have emerged in the food industry. How to explore and find companies with development and investment potential has always been a hot topic among all investors.

In the period of the exponential growth of the emerging consumer brands, start-ups in the food industry have begun to accelerate the process of building brands.

How can enterprises be favoured by investors and achieve sustainable development? How should investors find out the investment target to achieve “win-win” between the startups and capitals?

to gradually lift the lockdown.

More and more international freight terminals have undergone restructuring and are expected to be reopened.

Will the international trade pattern disrupted by the COVID-19 be completely recovered due to the lifting of the lockdown? What are the new changes we can expect in the Chinese market, where the imported food retail market exceeds RMB 1 trillion?

Global Dairy Forum In recent years, driven by customer demands for nutrition and health, demand for dairy products is gradually increasing. Dairy has received unprecedented attention as a livelihood industry. Driven by strong domestic demand and support and requirements from the government, dairy enterprises are developing towards the direction of health, nutrition, and high quality, and promoting digital transformation at the same time.

International Drink Conference

In recent years, the beverage industry in China has been booming, new brands have entered the industry year over year, and

the competition is fierce. How to stand out in the fierce competition has become a problem for everyone in the beverage industry. With the upgrading of the consumption structure and the emergence of Generation Z, consumer needs have gradually shifted from previous “Eat Enough, Eat Well” to paying more attention to the functionality and convenience of beverages, which has also become a driving force for enterprise product innovation, quality upgrade, and marketing optimisation.

Smart Agri-Food Summit

In recent years, facing a series of significant challenges such as global climate change, food safety, energy shortage, and ecological environment pollution, the traditional agriculture model is unable to meet the needs of the growing population in the world, and technological innovation has gradually become the key to reshape the global agricultural landscape. In the process of digital and intelligent transformation, the Agri-food industry has also ushered in more and more new opportunities, accelerating the inflow of capital into the Agri-food sector.

Import Food Summit According to the latest customs data, meat and meat products, aquatic products, and dairy products are the top three categories of food imports in 2021, of which meat and meat products imports have grown rapidly. As the COVID-19 has stepped into a new normalisation stage, some countries have tried February/March 2022

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expos are back

FHA-HORECA RETURNS IN 2022!

Informa Markets has announced, following close consultations with key stakeholders, that FHA-HoReCa, one of the world’s leading industry events serving the hotel, restaurant and café sectors, will resume from 25-28 October 2022 at the Singapore Expo.

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FHA-HoReCa is an expansion from one of Asia’s longest-running food and hospitality biennial trade events in the region, Food&HotelAsia (FHA). Where the world’s leading hotels, restaurants and café suppliers gather, FHA-HoReCa brings the latest foodservice & hospitality equipment, products and services across five key profiles – Bakery, Pastry & Gelato; Foodservice & Hospitality Equipment; Hospitality Style; Hospitality Technology; and Speciality Coffee & Tea – serving distributors, importers, manufacturers and retailers from Asia under one roof.

FHA Match – A Virtual Business Matching and Sourcing Platform

In addition to the physical show floor, FHA-HoReCa 2022 will also be accessible in the digital space on FHA Match, a virtual business matching platform launched by Informa Markets in 2021 to bring suppliers and buyers a ‘barrier-free’ space where they can still connect, hold meetings, and do business.

With FHA Match, virtual attendees no matter where they are located will still get to experience the festivities organised on and off the FHA-HoReCa 2022 showfloor, participate in virtual networking, business matching and knowledge sharing activities.

“We are very eager to bring FHAHoReCa back as a live event, on the heels of continuous engagement and encouragement from key exhibitors who have expressed keen interest to return to the event, and now will be able to do so when more travel borders are open and safety measures further relaxed,” said Martyn Cox, Event Director, Hospitality, Food & Beverage - Singapore, Informa Markets.

“Also with FHA Match, anyone not able to come in person will be able to tune in to the event live or on-demand and connect with existing partners or new prospects via video call or message chat.

We are thankful to all exhibitors, partners and the wider food,

beverage and hospitality community for their continued patience and understanding, and we look forward to catching up with everyone at FHA-HoReCa 2022.”

The FHA team will contact all exhibitors, visitors, and partners to discuss and plan for their future participation in FHA-HoReCa 2022. FHA-HoReCa’s sister show, FHA-Food & Beverage, will be held from 5-8 September 2022 at the Singapore Expo.

Event Director Appointed

Informa Markets have announced the appointment of Janice Lee as the new event director for FHA-Food &

Beverage and FHA-HoReCa, both internationally acclaimed business platforms for Asia’s food, beverage and hospitality sectors.

Presently event director for HOFEX, Janice will immediately take over from Martyn Cox who will be returning to the UK in May. Bringing more than 20 years of experience within Informa Markets driving sales excellence and running successful events to her expanded role as the Event Director for both FHA events and HOFEX, Janice will lead the Food Teams based in Singapore and Hong Kong respectively and will oversee the overall performance and successful execution of both event brands.

In October 2020 Janice was appointed event director for Informa Market’s portfolio of food shows in Hong Kong and since then, she successfully navigated the disruptions caused

by COVID-19 and delivered the live edition of HOFEX 2021 and the event’s virtual component HOFEX Connect with strong feedback from key stakeholders and customers.

“FHA and HOFEX are top shows in the markets and locations they serve, drawing professionals of the community from all over the world. Having both shows under the same leadership

will reinforce the synergy and strengthen collaboration within our food portfolio in Asia, to make sure the events deliver top value for our customers and buyers and play a pivotal role in fostering business and economic growth,” said Ian Roberts, Vice President for Asia, Informa Markets.

“I am very excited to join FHA, an event that has come a long way since it was founded in 1978 to what it can offer today which is a huge credit to the way the event has been run over many years and those who still continue to

serve it. Together with a talented team, I look forward to building momentum to accelerate FHA’s development across key areas and steer the event’s next chapter of growth,” said Janice Lee, Event Director for FHA and HOFEX, Informa Markets.

FHA-Food & Beverage will be held from 5-8 September 2022, FHA-HoReCa from 2528 October 2022, both at the Singapore Expo. HOFEX will be held from 10-12 May 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

JANICE LEE

Event Director

February/March 2022

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expos areback

drinktec, the world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry, will take place in Munich from September 12 to 16, 2022.

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T

he continually strong demand for floor space from exhibitors in Germany and abroad shows that the trade fair enjoys a high-level acceptance as a source of inspiration for the beverage and liquid food industry.

“With a booking status of 90 percent of the floor space, we can clearly see that exchange and meeting face to face still play an important role for our exhibitors,” explained Petra Westphal, Exhibition Director, and Markus Kosak, Exhibition Manager of drinktec.

For exhibitors and visitors alike, it is already foreseeable that the demand for exhibition space will be

comparable to the level of previous drinktec trade fairs. The demand for up-to-date technical information remains high.

“When it comes to making investment decisions, nothing can replace having a complete overview of the technological solutions.

Beverage manufacturers around the world need inspiration and dialog with exhibitors. Even during the pandemic, it was clear just how important it is that all markets can be supplied well, quickly and economically. Having the right technology is indispensable for that,” stressed Richard Clemens, CEO of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association,

professional support of drinktec.

It is also particularly important to the trade fair team that the digital tools already available still offer a lot of scope for making participation in the trade fair more efficient for exhibitors and visitors. Exhibitors at drinktec can highlight their expertise in the individual topic areas through entries in the Solutions Directory.

This will already be of great benefit in the run-up to the trade fair since the Solutions Directory will already be available online to search through from the end of 2021. Visitors will also be shown offerings at the trade fair for their own application areas directly on their mobile device with the help of the Innovation Guide—a

service exclusively available to trade fair visitors.

To make their production sites future-proof, visitors to the trade fair can get a compact overview of machines and process technology solutions for the production, filling and packaging of beverages and liquid foods. All players in the beverage and liquid food sector will be at drinktec and be available for direct discussions.

By defining the main topics, drinktec is demonstrating the potential for investment decisions in the coming years: The main topics: • Sustainable Production & Packaging, • Consumer Landscape & Product Design, • Water & Water Management, • Digital Solutions & Digital Transformation “We will also fully live up to

our commitment to be a source of inspiration for the industry at drinktec 2022. drinktec is where the future of the industry is shaped,” continued Kosak. drinktec started in December 2021 with the online program, drinktec TALK. In four online events on the main topics, expert presentations on current solutions provided compact information. The webinar series was offered live and in English and comprised presentations

as well as an open Q&A session.

“With drinktec 2022, we are delighted to once again be offering all industry partners a communication platform that conveys all the news from the industry to the world. We will of course offer our visitors a comprehensive hygiene concept, which we will align to the requirements of the pandemic as it develops,” concluded Westphal.

PETRA WESTPHAL Exhibition Director

February/March 2022

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columns

WHERE TO FROM BEER?

Much has been penned on the topic of impacts of COVID-19 on the hospitality sector. It’s probably one of the most reported on sectors when it comes to the difficulties being endured by what is predominantly small business owners.

But the impacts of Omicron and the new settings New Zealanders find themselves adjusting to - selfisolation, widespread transmission are being felt in a different way than before. Particularly for those supplying the hospitality businesses.

By DYLAN FIRTH Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

S

o how does it all line up? For hospitality businesses who brewers supply to, essentially it’s akin to a lockdown but much worse. There is limited government support, culminating with landlord assistance no longer being available after two years of reduced rents and continued overhead costs due to being open that are not accumulated when closed by a lockdown.

Debt at levels that are no longer sustainable with houses being mortgaged to keep businesses alive. This all puts pressure up the supply chain.

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In my role with the Brewers Association, I have the absolute privilege to speaking with a range of brewers. From our biggest operators, right down to new startups. While these people are the most passionate individuals you will find when it comes to beer.

They are also facing huge distribution and supply chain pressure, rising material costs, reduced incomes through channels to market with hospitality businesses either closed or facing reduced demand.

Many brewers are doing everything they can to assist the hospitality sector as they have been for the past two years with stock returns, extended credit and support in marketing campaigns to get people back out there. But they too have limits.

Taking a step back from the current pandemic, there are still a range of factors the brewing sector is facing in the medium to long term. Most of which will take significant investment if regulatory change is enacted.

The Government is currently considering, indicating reviewing, or deciding whether to consider, a number of changes. These include but are not limited to;

a mandatory container deposit scheme which would add 2030c cost per container, changes to labelling requirements for mandatory energy labelling, reviewing the ability to make claims around carbs and sugars and a potential review of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. We are also about to see alcohol excise tax increased by the highest level in 30 years due to record levels of inflation. Amongst a difficult trading environment, these changes will likely push some businesses to the edge.

It’s been a hard few years and there is still more to come.

However, the beer will continue to pour. For now, more of it from a bottle or can than a pint.

This column has been edited for length, you can read Dylan Firth’s full column online.

THE ‘NO, LOW AND SLOW’ MOVEMENT IS FAST BECOMING THE NEW NORM

We are seeing a positive change in New Zealander’s relationship with alcohol.

Did you know we’re drinking around 25% less per capita than the ’70s and ’80s? It’s a worldwide trend, and globally consumption declined 6% last year.

By BRIDGET MACDONALD New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council

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significant influence is the ‘no, low and slow’ movement. Kiwis are making better drinking decisions to suit their personal lifestyle or circumstances by embracing no- and low-alcohol options. If they choose full-strength beverages, they consume them in a more moderate and mindful way.

Younger adults focusing on health and wellbeing have been the catalyst for the ‘no, low, slow’ trend in recent years. They have created a demand for ‘better for me’ drinks, such as zero-alcohol beers, lighter wines, low-alcohol seltzers, and lower carb and sugar options. Now the older adult population is catching on.

The move toward balance and moderation is a boost for a more responsible drinking culture.

It’s Okay to Say No No-alcohol beverages (under 1.15% abv) came on the radar when blood-alcohol driving limits were reduced back in 2014. They’re a smart choice if you want to have a drink with your mates and get home safely, but they weren’t considered very cool. However, the negative social stigma of choosing a no-alcohol drink is falling away.

Research last year found 91% of Kiwi men wouldn’t care if a friend decided not to drink alcohol on a

night out. More generally, 65% of Kiwis say they feel comfortable not drinking alcohol when socialising.

Over the past few years, the quality and range of no-alcohol drinks have increased dramatically, primarily due to sophisticated de-alcoholising technology and processes maintaining the integrity of beverages. Brewers, winemakers, and distillers continue to refine their craft to ensure there is no compromise on flavour for discerning palates. No wonder this category is booming.

Foodstuffs North Island sold as much 0% wine in the first six months of 2021 as they did in all of 2020. So, it wasn’t surprising to see the New World Wine Awards add new judging classes for 0% wine last year, which attracted over 30 wines. Zero per cent beers increased 1116% since 2016 and were up 117% in the past year. We can expect demand to continue to grow and new beverages being produced to meet the demand.

How Low Can You Go? Low-alcohol beverages have also become more acceptable. Our consumer research shows nearly half (47%) of Kiwis say they had one in the past year That’s up 7% on the previous year. The top reasons for choosing low-alcohol

were driving (28%), tracking consumption (27%), health (26%), lower calories (19%), and preferring low-alcohol (15%). Our preferences are changing, and our behaviours seem to be focused on wellbeing, moderation and being sociable. It’s the social pressures to drink that are becoming less acceptable.

Sip and Savour Slowly How New Zealanders are drinking is also changing more broadly with a big shift to premium wine, beer and spirits. The ‘slow’ trend, or premiumisation, is about choosing a quality drink that may cost a little more, such as a premium or craft beer, a fine wine, cocktail or a premium spirit or liqueur, and then taking a ‘sip and savour’ approach to enjoy the flavours of the drink in a slow and relaxed way.

More than half (56%) of Kiwis say they had a premium drink in the past year, and 30% say they consume a premium drink more slowly, and only 2% drink it faster.

Consumers see their beverages as an experience, not just a drink.

With lockdown restrictions over the past couple of years, people have also become more confident and adept at making their cocktails at home and more adventurous to try new flavours, for example, indigenous botanicals like kawakawa

and manuka in gins made by local distillers. And the range of premium mixers on the market means you can easily create a delicious ‘lighter’ cocktail if you so wish.

Innovating For the Future

This is a positive story for our industry – one of moderation, innovation and consumer choice.

Around 80% of Kiwis say they would like to alternate more between drinking non-alcohol and alcoholbased drinks when socialising with their friends. So, it’s vital that people have choices whether they are out with friends in a bar or restaurant or at a family BBQ. The no, low, slow movement encourages both boutique and larger more-established producers to innovate. With innovation comes more choices and new beverage experiences for consumers, and that supports better drinking decisions.

Innovation also creates opportunities for growth and developing niche markets that generate wider economic benefits, such as demand for local goods and services and jobs in the local economy. A fine example is the development of New Zealand’s lighter wines (under 10% abv).

Nearly half (45%) of New Zealand wine consumers are open to lower alcohol wines. This has led to significant investment into viticulture and winemaking research and development to produce awardwinning, world-class wines for the export market.

Producers are working hard to meet changing consumer needs, and so are retailers. Last year, one retail liquor chain added around 50 no- and low-alcohol products to its shelves and saw growth of this category up about 32% on the previous year.

The times are changing, and it’s exciting. We can expect that the no, low and slow movement will continue growing at a fast pace. And the industry will continue to respond positively to changing consumer trends that support moderate and mindful consumption.

February/March 2022

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localnews meet thedistiller

ENGAGING WITH the Elements

Ben Leggett, Elemental Distillers’ director and head distiller, was born and raised in Marlborough but spent over a decade working with spirits in the UK.

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went to Europe to work in tourism but gravitated to the UK and worked in a cocktail bar with no prior experience.

“By chance, I started with the right people and got some good exposure, and 14 years later, I came back to New Zealand, bringing my international experience with me.”

Leggett had worked his way up to be a brand ambassador for many well-known spirit brands, as well as being self-employed for a few years before doing a full circle and returning here.

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Originally, Elemental Distillers was the classic garage project for the first four years, but Leggett fully committed three years ago.

Now, the brand has developed into a business that is passionate and transparent about the botanicals that go into the gin.

“Our philosophy is transparency and traceability.

“Showing what botanicals go into our products, who grows them, how they’re grown, and what we do with them.”

These pillars of operation translated into sustainability and the distillery itself.

“We are believers in delivering a premium product and operating sustainably, which includes our distillery.

“We used upcycled containers for the distillery, plus solar power, bore-water, water recirculation, worm farms and recirculation compost.”

The pandemic has homed in on the importance of shopping and supporting local, but Elemental Distillers already understood those concepts.

“We produce seasonal gin, and there are about six core botanicals that go into the Roots gin, four of which are foraged. It’s a sustainable source, but it’s difficult to get out and collect the ingredients in the lockdown.”

Corks, bottles, and juniper are the only components imported, said Leggett.

“Juniper is the only botanical we can’t get here.

We have a source in Macedonia that we import about twice a year, but the price has gone up more than 40 percent in the last 18 months.

“Last year, we ran out of bottles and couldn’t get any more. They don’t make the type of bottles we use in New Zealand, so that was difficult.”

While some might see the glass as half empty, Leggett saw the glass as half full.

“The first lockdown positively influenced us in a way.

“We were one of only two sanitiser producers before the lockdown, and we’d had an article in the local paper just three days before.

“Our article gave us good exposure, and we got inundated so much we couldn’t supply the tens of thousands of litres needed.”

Gin sales also increased when people realised alcohol was available online.

This time around, though, people haven’t bounced back as much as they did.

“We haven’t seen the same form of engagement with online sales, and normally our gin sales would peak with the summer Christmas season but stores just aren’t doing promotions at the moment.”

Despite the rough year, Elemental Distillers have some exciting innovations under their belt.

“In June, we launched our Navy strength gin.

We did a product launch with cannons, black powder, muskets, regency regalia and had a massive public event which was awesome.

“We also joined the ecoTOTE initiative, a 4.5L sustainably-made decanter with a special nozzle used to distribute bulk spirits, created by ecoSPIRITS. So instead of getting a trade account and purchasing cases of gin, clients get a

reusable, refillable decanter. This means they can buy more gin for less.”

Each tote sold also plants a tree.

“Each account gets access to an eco-forestry platform where you can click a link, and it’ll show you many trees they’ve planted.

“It’s so detailed it has a topographical map that shows you the exact forest, the exact sapling, and the exact person who planted it.”

Elemental Distillers is small right now, but Leggett has big plans for expansion.

“We’re working on export. We’ve got to get off-shore to drive volumes, so we’re launching in Australia next year, which will open up the Asia Pacific region.”

Leggett is passionate about creating good quality spirits and believes everything that leads up to the moment of taking the first sip is what makes a great spirit.

“The drinking of the spirit is the end of the story, and a good spirit has everything building that up.

“Being part of an experience is important in a brand. You can go to a distillery, meet the people.

A friend recommended it and told you about it you’re already sold before you even taste it.

“It’s about buying the moment you open it.

You pay thousands of dollars for the occasion, the people, the experience and what it represents, not the liquid.

We’ve all got that bottle of very special stuff we keep hidden in the back of the cupboard just for special people.”

The Finest

New Zealand designed & manufactured flavours

February/March 2022

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meet the winemaker

“I HAMISH BINNS Leveret Estate

Hamish Binns, winemaker at The Wine Portfolio’s Riverview winery, returned home at the end of 2006 after several years in Europe and landed a cellarhand position at Riverview for the 2007 vintage.

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fell in love with the place and its diverse range of wonderful and talented characters and managed to stay on permanently, working my way up slowly from there to my current position of winemaker.”

Binns has not always been on the production side of winemaking, despite being in and around the industry for most of his life.

“There were some dark times when I did a spell in sales in the UK,” he laughed.

“Having to wear trousers rather than shorts, shave every day and be polite to everyone!

I’ve had nothing but the utmost respect for salespeople since then.”

In fact, Binns was introduced to wine by his maternal grandparents with whom he spent a great deal of his childhood.

“They were small growers and producers during the infancy of the Hawkes Bay wine industry. They were probably the most influential people in leading me into this industry, but of course there have been others who were very encouraging and supportive.”

Riverview winery is situated along the Ngaruroro River, with naturally formed northfacing terraces that step down to the river.

“I think the proximity to the river and the soil structure contribute to producing grapes with strong primary fruit aroma and flavour,” commented Binns.

“Together with the viticultural team, we work to express the unique character of our vineyard sites in the resultant wine.

“We try not to intervene more than what is needed, preserving as much varietal and fruitforward characteristics as possible.”

The Wine Portfolio was established in 1995

with its first brand Morton Estate. In 2014, the Morton brand was sold, and the winery rebranded as Leveret Estate Winery and Cellar Door, with the launch of the Leveret Estate and Falconhead ranges.

Finally, in 2020, The Wine Portfolio welcomed Mills Reef Wines and the winery was once again rebranded as Leveret & Mills Reef Winery.

The Wine Portfolio participate and are accredited in the SWNZ programme for both its Hawkes Bay and Katikati wineries, and all company vineyards are SWNZ accredited too.

“We keep sustainability front of mind in our grape growing and winemaking processes.

“For example, sheep are used to graze our vineyards in the months that vines are dormant as an alternative to conventional tractor mowing.

“Grape skins are recycled as stock feed instead of going to landfill, which equates to around 700 tonnes per year.

“We also take pride in our river frontage, maintaining it and keeping it clean. We plan to plant some flaxes and other native bird and bee-friendly plants in one of our wastewater discharge fields.”

With vineyards in prime locations, The Wine Portfolio combines the finest grapes with the best winemaking techniques, as well as passion from its dedicated winemakers.

“We have taken the boutique winery approach to winemaking by controlling the entire process - from grafting our own cuttings, developing our own vineyards and viticultural techniques, and investing in the best technology possible.”

The multiple locations and the people are also what Binns enjoys most about his job.

“Firstly, I enjoy working for a multi-site wine company. We have a great winemaking team across both sites and work collegially to produce wines we are all proud of and enjoy.

“Vintage is another favourite part of the job, having the opportunity to work with an influx of talented temporary staff and share knowledge with them.”

Binns said there hasn’t been anyone stand out mentor for him, but working with accomplished winemaking and viticulture consultants has been

a constant source of support and inspiration.

“I like to think I’ve learnt something from everybody I’ve worked with as well.”

It is this hands-on approach to learning and sharing knowledge that Binns believes sets the New Zealand wine industry apart.

“I think one of the biggest differences that I see between the New Zealand wine industry and others is the willingness and openness of New Zealand winemakers to share knowledge and ideas with each other.”

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wastemanagement

INNOVATIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT

Successful companies are always looking to adopt technology to save money and drive efficiencies. Clever technology can increase productivity, save time and make a big impact on the bottom line. Innovative equipment in the waste sector is a growing area and believe it or not, more exciting than it sounds!

L

ook how far we progressed just in the last decade with Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS), self-checkout, replacing traditional light bulbs with LED, electronic signage, and electric cars.

Why do we see innovation in some countries much earlier than others?

Innovation is driven by consumer demand. Throughout Europe, governments have imposed taxes to

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dispose of landfill waste. The result?

Innovative equipment has been designed to increase recyclables, reduce waste to landfill, and reduce the costs associated with the collection of recyclable materials. While kiwi's are top innovators across many sectors; sadly in the waste industry, we have a long way to go.

Looking to Europe we have much to learn and we needn't 'reinvent the wheel'. Cutting edge technology already exists that not only has a significant impact on

cost savings, it can also help NZ move towards a more sustainable future.

Scandanavian countries set the bar high, they have been trailblazers with waste management innovation for decades. Since the Swedes discovered the value of recyclable materials they have focused their innovation on equipment to bale and harvest used paper, plastic and cardboard. Acknowledging these materials as a commodity generates revenue for organisations rather than accruing costs to remove their waste products.

Waste bins themselves have also gone through significant innovation. Traditionally waste receptacles are often stowed away in dark corners. Bins are known to be grimy things that hide the waste we throw away.

And then comes the plastic liners (bags) that have been used by the millions. Plastic bags collecting waste rarely fit the bin correctly and half of the liner is folded back on itself to hold the bag in place. To empty the waste bin, the heavy liner would need to be lifted out, and a knot tied in the neck of the plastic bag.

Anyone assigned to this mucky job would need to wash their hands immediately afterwards, the germs on this inside of the bag were soon exposed to everybody who handled the bag for its onward journey.

Ironically it was Sten Gustaf Thulin, a Swedish engineer, who

invented the modernday plastic bag in 1965. Thulin officially introduced the bag to the world after a packaging company he worked for, Celloplast, made it available to the marketplace.

The real innovation took place 15 years later when another Swedish company, PAXXO, invented the Longopac waste bag.

This clever bin liner is a cassette up to 160 metres long, it is not placed inside a grimy bin but rather it is cradled on a modern and ergonomic stand.

The liner is always in place (no more hunting for a bin bag!), it is never overfilled, it is always exactly the right size, and always 100% full when discarded.

Such a simple concept, the best innovations always are.

When Longopac is implemented throughout a company the impact is significant. Savings are gained in several areas. When air is squeezed from each bag, volumes can reduce by 50%, making a significant reduction on disposal costs. Segregation of waste (and recyclables) becomes easier, less waste is sent to landfill, less time is required to manage waste and waste management becomes much more hygienic, particularly relevant as all companies are now prioritising hygiene.

If you would like to learn more about using innovative waste management please contact – Easi Recycling NZ on 0800 342 3177, info@easirecycling.co.nz.

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