F+B TECH Magazine | April-May 2022

$

April/May 2022

I

Vol. 3

I

10.95 No. 3

100% recycled plastic

Ensure quality and compliance HACCP Certified measurement technology for better food quality.

Receive txt & email alerts when temperature violations occur.

Access readings anywhere at any time!

The Testo Saveris 2 WiFi data logging system takes the task of manual temperature checks off your hands.

Shop Testo instruments online at www.testo.nz 09 579 1990

sales@eurotec.co.nz

www.eurotec.co.nz

editors note WHEN FOOD IS WEAPONISED, THE WHOLE WORLD LOSES Tania Walters Publisher

tania@reviewmags.com

Several high-level global officials have criticised Russia for its role in the worsening international food crisis sparked by its invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters whose ports remain blocked by Russian forces U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said ​​the war has contributed to global hunger reaching a “new high.” Ukrainian wheat feeds millions globally - Egypt, Lebanon

and Pakistan receive much of their wheat from Ukraine, while about half of the World Food Programme’s comes from the country.

Russia’s war has compounded or accelerated pre-existing food deficits and inflationary trends arising from a host of linked factors: the negative economic impact of the pandemic; resulting supply-chain, employment, and transport problems; extreme weather and climate-crisis-related falls in output; spiralling energy costs; and numerous other ongoing conflicts worldwide.

The World Food Programme estimates about 49 million people face emergency levels of hunger.

Beyond the conflict in Ukraine, ongoing affects of the COVID pandemic are still taking a toll and it is no longer controversial to assert that destroyed crops, lost livelihoods, and impoverished communities – key micro-ingredients of mass hunger emergencies – are intimately connected to, and affected by, climate change and extreme weather events.

It is, however, still hard to find concerted, effective international action or public pressure to shift the dynamic.

Times of great social, economic, and political upheaval can also be times of great innovation and can trigger existential shifts in the way

we, as global citizens, do things.

Kiwi growers, farmers, producers, and distributors need to take this moment to critically think about what New Zealand can contribute to this evolution.

From changes to growing regions and an uptick in local sourcing to transitioning to sustainable packaging and practices, now is a crucial time for all involved in the food supply chain to rethink who and what we rely on to feed the world.

tania@reviewmags.com

contents

10

5

6

21

24

14

26

17

28

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.

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

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

OUR PARTNERS: food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

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

April/May 2022

I3

news MEATWORKS AUTOMATION GATHERS PACE Due to high meat prices and a lack of skilled labour, automation and robotics provider, Scott Technology, has reported a boost in demand.

Revenue was up 13 percent to $118.4 million and normalised earnings before interest and tax grew by 19 percent to $11.7m, delivering a net profit of $4.7m. The company said forward work remains robust with system design and build contracts in Europe, United States, China, Australia, and New Zealand. Read more here

PORT WORKERS WELCOME HEALTH & SAFETY REVIEW Following two tragic deaths port workers are welcoming the government announcement of a range of actions to fix health and safety problems.

“All New Zealanders should return from work safe and unharmed. Recently we have

seen a disproportionate number of injuries and fatalities in the port industry. The actions taken today will provide clarity on how we can reduce these serious incidents,” said Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Michael Wood. Read more here

GROWTH ASIA SUMMIT 2022

Growth Asia returns for 2022 in an all-new hybrid format, featuring a ‘best of both worlds’ three-day face-to-face summit in Singapore from 11-13 October, and a digital summit the following week, from 18-20 October. The event will feature extensive expert insights from a raft of big-name brands, leading academics, policy experts, and the most innovative suppliers, all focusing on the region with biggest growth potential for food, beverage, supplements, functional products, and nutrition.

Read more here

A SUCCESSFUL RESTART FOR THE F&B TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY For four days, from April 26 to 29, 2022, the food and beverage industry met with its supplier sector at Anuga FoodTec - Special Edition - in Cologne. “Anuga FoodTec is and

remains the central and international meeting place for the industry.

And this leading position has been clearly underlined by the successful re-launch of the trade show here

in Cologne. The right concept, at the right time,” said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. Read more here

NZ NEEDS OVERSEAS TRUCK DRIVERS

New Zealand urgently needs more overseas truck drivers to fill a growing shortage, according to National Road Carriers chief operating officer James Smith. “The people crisis is becoming glaringly obvious. We need thousands more people in the transport and distribution sector,” noted Smith, adding that New Zealand’s immigration processes to fill the gaps are slow and clunky.

Read more here

FONTERRA EXPANDS SEAWEED TRIAL

Fonterra has expanded on-farm trials of methane reducing Asparagopsis seaweed, as part of its commitment to helping solve the methane challenge. In partnership with Australian company Sea Forest, Fonterra is looking at the potential Asparagopsis seaweed has in reducing methane in a grass-fed farming system. According to Fonterra General Manager of Sustainability APAC, Jack Holden, its grass-fed farming model makes Fonterra one of the most carbon efficient producers of dairy in the world. “However, we have an aspiration to be net zero by 2050 and are investing in R&D and partnerships to help find a solution to reducing methane emissions.” Read more here

4

I

fbtech.co.nz

TECH PROVIDES BETTER CARGO STATUS VISIBILITY

TradeWindow, an NZX-listed trade tech company based in Takapuna, has partnered with online cargo management system, PortConnect, to offer another layer of supply chain visibility for exporters and importers. “Given that 99 percent of New Zealand’s exports are by sea freight, visibility of cargo is crucial to our customers,” noted TradeWindow CEO AJ Smith.

“This partnership with PortConnect is a step in the right direction for everyone involved.” Read more here

PACIFIC BUSINESS VILLAGE LAUNCHED IN TAURANGA RECORD COMPETITION ENTRIES DESPITE COVID

Defying COVID odds, a record number of entries have made it into the 2022 New Zealand Spirits Awards to be judged in Auckland. When entries closed 468 had been received - a whopping 124 more than last year and 214 more than the first Awards in 2019. “We are delighted and happily amazed at the number of entries this year,” expressed Distilled Spirits Aotearoa Chair, Dr Sue James. Read more here

A new Pacific Business Village that will grow Pacific businesses has been launched by the Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Aupito William Sio in Tauranga. “The Government wants the Village used as a strategic framework for any long-term economic development work in our regions for Pacific business,” explained Sio. “A key priority of the Pacific Business Village using the Tauola Business Fund, is to provide direct investment into businesses to accelerate their long-term growth and assist with the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19.” Read more here

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

April/May 2022

I5

shortages&alternatives

s n i a r G l a c ti i r C

Facing the Global Food Crisis

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is battering a global food system already weakened

by Covid-19, climate change and an energy shock.

6

I

fbtech.co.nz

U

kraine’s exports of grain and oilseeds have mostly stopped, and Russia’s are threatened. Together, the two countries supply 12 percent of traded calories. Wheat prices, up 53 percent since the start of the year, jumped a further siz percent on May 16, after India said it would suspend exports because of an alarming heatwave.

Bread is one of the more crucial

ingredients in maintaining world stability, and with food prices rising around the world, more countries are putting these kinds of export controls in place. These include restrictions put in place

by Russia and its ally, Belarus, along with Indonesia`s ban on palm oil exports and China`s prohibition on fertiliser exports.

Russia`s invasion of Ukraine cut off exports from that region -- responsible for more than a

quarter of the world`s supply -- and sent buyers scrambling to find other source countries, like India. India is the ninth-largest wheat exporter in the world and initially, Indian officials said the country would increase wheat production, before reversing course.

Here in New Zealand, arable farmers have considered planting more milling wheat this autumn to help combat global shortages.

Federated Farmers arable chair Colin Hurst said New Zealand grew about 100,000 tonnes of milling wheat and about 250,000 tonnes of feed wheat for stock.

“So, we’re just looking into whether we could have a bit of a push to increase the area of milling wheat, we’ve started some initial talks with the government about this.

“It’s just about understanding this worldwide food security

THOMAS CHIN General Manager, NZ Grain & Seed Trade Association

ANGELA CLIFFORD Chief Executive, Eat NZ

crisis and whether there’s an opportunity for New Zealand to assist with growing more grain.”

About 70 percent of the wheat used in flour production in New Zealand is imported, mostly from Australia. That was due to freight costs, Hurst said.

“The conflict coincides with a very challenging cereal (and other seed crops) harvest (Feb-Mar) in the Canterbury region (85 percent of NZ’s seed and grain production),” explained Thomas Chin, General Manager, NZ Grain & Seed Trade Association.

“Growers have had to work through poor weather conditions, which has affected crop quality and even the ability to harvest and perform other farm duties, for example, preparations for the next sowing season.

“On top of all this, global logistics and transport issues have affected our industry imports and export movements.”

Chin added that the uncertain times and volatility for the sector call into focus New Zealand’s overall food security and the supply chain’s resilience.

“Industry initiatives already underway, such as our ‘NZgrown milling wheat’ project

(for bread, pasta, pastries, cakes, biscuits, etc.), becomes even more relevant. Wider uptake could help lessen import requirements and overseas shipping worries.”

Energy prices are also rising, particularly for oil. Significant movements in global oil prices are impacting New Zealand’s economy, affecting freight costs when export markets are already experiencing difficulty.

Eat NZ chief executive Angela Clifford, one of the driving forces behind the Food Hui, said the creation of a local grain economy would strengthen food security given current volatility with global supply chains. It could also fit into creating a more diverse farming landscape and help drive land use change away from just pastoral farming, she said.

Local grain could also be useful in government initiatives such as the government school lunches programme, which is set to feed 215,000 kids by the end of the year.

“It’s time to consider the role that grains could play in the future of our food,” Clifford said.

April/May 2022

I7

shortages&alternatives

FORGOTTEN CROPS COULD BE THE KEY TO COMBATING THE FOOD CRISIS According to author of Eating to Extinction, The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them, Dan Saladino, the global food price crisis illustrates the need for key players in the food cain to bring forgotten and under-researched crops to the attention of markets and consumers.

T

he UN Secretary, General António Guterres has warned that soaring food prices, driven largely by the impact of the Ukraine conflict, risks the spectre of a global food shortage that could last years.

“It threatens to tip tens of millions of people over the edge into food insecurity, followed by malnutrition, mass hunger and famine, in a crisis that could last for years,” he said.

Guterres added that the number of people facing severe food insecurity has doubled from 135 million before the coronavirus pandemic to 276 million today.

The effects of COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have clearly exposed the supply chain fragility in the global food system and highlight the need for research into the potential solution presented by so called “forgotten crops”.

The world is dominated by four crops: rice, maize, wheat, and soya bean, providing over 50 percent of plant-based human foods. Ancient grains, however, or “forgotten” or “orphan” crops such as millet, sorghum, buckwheat, amaranth, and others are nutritional powerhouses packed with sustainability credentials and which offer a significant opportunity to improve human and planetary health.

In Eating to Extinction, Saladino outlines the urgency and costs of heading towards a future that is less nutritionally diverse. The author told

8

I

fbtech.co.nz

a webinar hosted by the Forgotten Crops Society that today’s food crisis makes his case even more pressing, with events such as COVID and the war in Ukraine continuing to prove how lacking in resilience much of our food system is.

“I think there are things about the food system that cannot be ignored. As well as all that wheat trapped in Ukraine or the Black Sea now, there is also a huge amount of energy and fertiliser that underpin the current way of farming. I think that’s been a shock to the system that potentially could accelerate change,” expressed Saladino. “We could be seeing a lot of innovation and one way of creating more resilience in the system is to deglobalise part of the global food system.”

Millet, as Sandino explained, is an example of a food that disappeared because of its laborious processing method, but new technology can now transform that food and give a new future to an underutilised crop.

The author has urged for a change in agricultural subsidies and consolidation of corporation in the food system. There is now a growing awareness in the food sector about the importance of revisiting and reclaiming crop diversity. For example, Mars Inc. is leading research in partnership with indigenous communities in the Sierra Mixe region of Mexico into an indigenous variety of corn that can fix nitrogen from the

atmosphere instead or requiring synthetic fertilizers.

“There are serious food industry players who are trying to instigate change,” noted Saladino, adding that he has been contacted by some big corporations since writing the book. Questions of flexibility at that scale is still questionable, but Saladino has seen the desire to do things differently.

“Overall, I’m optimistic because I can see examples of change.”

column

SQUEEZED GLOBAL SUPPLY OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIWI GROWERS ‘Give us our daily bread’, the prayer goes. Trouble is, says Federated Farmers Arable Chairperson Colin Hurst, significant price rises for flourbased products may be on the horizon for local consumers.

COLIN HURST Arable Chairperson, Federated Farmers of New Zealand

P

rices for milling wheat delivered to Christchurch in mid-May were $600$630 per tonne, which is around $200 more than last year.

“So that’s a 50 percent increase in prices – in all my farming career since the mid-1980s I’ve never struck a rise like that. Those sorts of things just don’t come along very often,” Colin told the Federated Farmers Waikato Arable section AGM in May. But undercutting strong returns to growers are big jumps in costs for fuel, fertilizer, agrichemicals, freight, and labour. Just one example is the 300 percent jump in the cost of glyphosate since last year. Farmers can’t absorb the level of input increases they’re seeing, and ultimately the consumer would pay, Colin said.

The war in the Ukraine – not just in term of lost production from that part of the world, but also the impact on fertilizer and potash prices and availability – has sparked uncertainty and volatility on world markets.

Then came the news that India had announced a near full ban on exports of wheat because of concerns around domestic food security.

Colin told the AGM that India

might still allow government to government wheat sales to nations where there are food shortages but there wouldn’t be sales to speculatortype commodity trading companies.

According to the NZX, India is the world’s second largest grower of wheat, and the eighth largest exporter, with a previous forecast of 10 million tonnes of exports for the 2022/23 season.

Tough weather conditions in several wheat growing countries have cut into yields, adding to the tight global supply situation.

With the current prices paid to local milling wheat growers now in touch with what imported grain costs New Zealand’s flour mills, it’s a shot in the arm for the ambitions of Federated Farmers, FAR, United Wheatgrowers and others for New Zealand to be more self-sufficient in the wheat for flour supply chain.

Colin said New Zealand growers produce between 350,00-400,000 tonnes of wheat each year, with milling varieties making up around 100,000 tonnes. But last year that slipped to around 70,000 tonnes because of poor prices offered by buyers for the flour mills. Foul weather also resulted in a poor harvest.

The tight global market, however,

should again revive milling wheat interest here. Colin said Federated Farmers was in discussions with MPI over the government’s appetite for some funding to help drive a higher level of milling wheat self-sufficiency.

One opportunity for investment was in breeding programmes to come up with shorter growing varieties. Almost all our milling wheat is currently grown in Canterbury, with perhaps 5 percent coming from the Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay and Southland. But with varieties that have a shorter growing season opportunities could be opened up for the Waikato and other parts of New Zealand with flat or rolling terrain.

“So, in the Waikato, you could get it in the ground in AugustSeptember and harvest it late January. Then from February onwards you could grow Italians (rye grass) or even some brassicas or something else to feed cows,” Colin said.

“I do think there are some real opportunities, and with flour being such a staple for people, there’s a strong case to put to government for some help to get things going.”

By Simon Edwards, Communications Advisor, Federated Farmers of New Zealand April/May 2022

I9

shortages&alternatives

WAYS TO REDUCE RISKS IN THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM

According to Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International, one of the world’s largest fertilizer producers, there are three key aspects to reducing the risks of the global food crisis.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed the interdependencies in the food system and the risks related to it, which Holsether outlined as part of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

SVEIN TORE HOLSETHER President & CEO Yara International

B

oth Russia and Ukraine are world powers in agriculture and food production, and the war in Europe is exacerbating a global food crisis. Subsequently, all efforts should be made to maintain trade flows of essential agricultural goods and inputs in the short term.

“We should also prevent isolated

10

I

fbtech.co.nz

protectionist policies that will lead to new food price hikes, hitting the most vulnerable and causing further destabilisation, and call on countries to release food stocks to decrease the pressure on the food system instead,” noted. “However, it is clear that we must reduce our dependency on Russia in the longer term, and there are ways of doing so that will simultaneously lead to a greener and more decarbonised food system.”

Renewable Energy

Approximately half of the world’s population has access to food due to mineral fertilisers, and today it’s produced by using natural gas.

Considering Russia accounts for about 40 percent of the gas supply to Europe, a massive investment in renewable energy is needed to reduce the dependency on Russia. The shift will also enable the production of green ammonia, which can be applied to provide fossil-free fuel and fertilisers for shipping – a giant stride

in the transition to regenerative agriculture.

Here, a new report commissioned by the Government stated that New Zealand has an opportunity to export green hydrogen.

Energy consultancy firm Castalia produced the report for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ahead of the development of a hydrogen roadmap for New Zealand.

“We identified four sectors in New Zealand where hydrogen technology and applications of hydrogen as an energy carrier could be used: transport, energy and electricity system services, industry, and exports,” the report said.

After accounting for demand for hydrogen from the transport and industrial sectors and for energy security, Castalia also examined the potential for New Zealand to export the fuel. Whether we win out depends on two factors - getting our production and shipment costs lower than others and inking long-term supply contracts with buyers.

Recycling Nutrients

Russia is one of the largest exporters of fertilisers and nutrients like potash. However, it’s wellknown that the food system has a significant surplus of nutrients that aren’t being utilised but are instead harming the environment through, for example, leakage.

Finding ways of producing organo-mineral fertiliser based on recycled nutrients would be another major step towards regenerative agriculture and naturepositive solutions – while reducing dependency on Russia.

Increasing Productivity in Developing Countries

There are enormous regional differences in global agricultural productivity, often referred to as the yield gap. Harvests are determined by many factors, including weather, optimised use of inputs such as seeds and fertilisers, and farming techniques.

By using the right decisionmaking tools and having access to knowledge and quality inputs, smallholder farmers can significantly improve yields. If farming in many African countries, for example, reached the same productivity level as European countries, they would strengthen their resilience, enable many more livelihoods, and could finally be net exporters instead of major food importers.

“By the way, we don’t need many scientific breakthroughs to achieve this,” noted Holsether.

“Most of the technology and knowledge are already in place and only need to be implemented.

However, to do so, we must move with speed and urgency.”

April/May 2022

I 11

shortages&alternatives

U.S PORK MEETS THE DEMANDS OF KIWI CONSUMERS

that shares research, coordinates new research, and communicates results with each organisation’s members.

While global demand and prices for meat remain strong, the impacts of COVID-19, supply chain disruptions and significant processing constraints in New Zealand are having a major impact.

C

hronic labour shortages in New Zealand continue to be a problem with cattle processing down 11 percent during the first quarter and sheep processing down 16 percent compared to 2021. The demand for meat products, however, is still strong with total pork consumption in New Zealand increasing in the last 10 years.

New Zealand pork is unique in the position of being one of the few primary industries that can’t meet domestic demand, therefore imported pork is needed to fill the consumer’s protein requirement as there is not enough domestically produced product.

The increase in imported pig meat clearly follows the same trend as the increase in New Zealand population and changes to ethnic

12

I

fbtech.co.nz

demographics and tastes. The total volume of pork imported to New Zealand in March 2021 was 4,180 tonne, up 32.28 percent from the previous month.

Why Choose U.S Pork?

Sustainability Matters • We Care is a commitment created by pig farmers to promote responsible pig farming throughout every step of pork production and America’s pig farmers have embodied the We Care commitment for more than 30 years, proactively pursuing better technology and methods

to improve the safety and quality of pork, while reducing environmental impacts.

U.S pig farmers are committed to sustainable pig farming and continuous improvement.

Research is integral to understanding the impact of pig farming and improving and implementing sustainability practices. The National Pork Board recently joined the United Soybean Board, National Corn Growers Association and Environmental Defense Fund to form the Sustainability Research Alliance, a program

Quality Assurance • The U.S has developed one of the world’s most efficient system for meat production, processing, and distribution. Livestock health programs and monitoring are conducted by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspect Service, while meat inspection programs are operated by the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service.

These regulatory agencies, in conjunction with U.S industry guidelines and programmes, ensure that U.S Pork production meets some of the world’s strictest health and hygiene controls at every stage of rearing, processing, storage and distribution chain.

The secret of rich and tender U.S Pork is the top-class grain feed grown by farmers, plus health, safe and stress-free pigs.

U.S Pork is your best buy because you know you can rely on its consistently high standards and quality.

For U.S. Pork suppliers’ information, please contact singapore@usmef.org

April/May 2022

I 13

column

14

I

fbtech.co.nz

REDUCE MISTAKES BY REDUCING THE UNKNOWN

If your food or drink brand is achieving success in your home market and you are looking to increase your export sales, high growth Asian markets offer an exciting opportunity for growth.

The sector is expanding rapidly with a rising demand for imported products and New Zealand products have a good reputation for quality and high food safety standards.

F

ood and drink exporters need to understand some very specific category indicators to determine whether an export market should be pursued.

STEP 1: Category Analysis – Start At The Store Level

If you can, visit some of the major supermarkets and check out how much shelf space is dedicated to your category. If you can’t find similar products on the shelf in any of the stores you visit, then you can be confident that this is not an important category for the retailers, and you’ll need to be prepared for the challenges of ‘demand creation’.

Conversely, if the shelf space is significant and there are private label supermarket brands available in your category then this is a sign that it’s a strong category with good demand.

Finally, and most importantly, nothing compares to speaking to in-market industry experts who have a keen eye for picking winning products.

STEP 2: Competitor Analysis – Can you Compete?

There are many factors that have an influence on your products competitiveness in your category. Having a well-established brand in your domestic market is a good starting point, but this success is not automatically transferrable to Asian markets.

TWO FACTORS ARE CRUCIAL: Packaging • Does your packaging stand out with visual appeal?

• The influence your packaging has on sales should not be underestimated. Resist the urge to change your packaging or add Chinese / foreign language characters, the best thing you can do is keep your brand integrity intact.

Taste • While attractive packaging will encourage an initial sale, it’s taste that will drive repeat purchases and sustainable sales volumes.

• To gauge how the taste profile of your product fits with local consumer preferences you can run tasting panels in-market with consumers or seek feedback from distributors who have a good understanding of the category.

STEP 3: Price Position – Setting your Price Strategy Your pricing strategy will be an integral component of your success. To understand your price position within the category you first need to calculate your retail price using a cost model (price tree/price

build) that estimates your retail price after all the relevant supply chain margins for target retailers have been applied.

You’ll need to know what your market entry model is and what the typical supply chain margins are for each grocery channel in target markets.

Ultimately, if you are not priced correctly against your competitors, it will be very challenging to gain market share, especially if you are putting forward a new product with no brand equity in the market. Knowledge is power when it comes to negotiating new grocery listings.

STEP 4: Channels and Costs

Supermarket grocery channels across Asian markets all have their unique characteristics with each country offering a few major supermarket retailers to target. Online grocery sales channels are emerging platforms across Asian markets, but bricks and mortar stores still account for most sales.

Something to be aware of is that the store count for each grocery banner is not huge and not all stores are suitable for imported products.

Finding out the number of stores your product are likely to be sold in will shed some light on the potential sales volume for your range.

Entering Asian markets can be expensive.

Understanding what these costs are will be an important factor in calculating feasibility and your return on investment.

Incite can help you to quickly determine the right markets and entry model for your products, understand the local regulations and develop the perfect pitch to take your product to market.

For more information, visit www.exportincite.com or contact getincite@exportincite.com April/May 2022

I 15

sustainablepackaging

Think Outside THE BOX

How to be a Business Champion The pressure for businesses to do better with their packaging is mounting. Ambitious sustainability targets are looming, and new regulations are coming into play. The focus has shifted from why sustainable packaging is necessary, to how businesses can quickly and safely implement change.

16

I

fbtech.co.nz

W

hether it’s a radical overhaul, or a tiny improvement, all efforts count. Any progress can help reduce reliance on non-renewable materials and reduce waste.

Nikki Withington, Sustainable Packaging Consultant at Square One noted on myNZTE that brands should step back before stepping towards a more sustainable solution.

There’s much to consider when it comes to sustainable packaging and there’s no silver bullet, it’s important for companies to ask: How does your packaging need to perform? What are you willing to compromise on? This article will help you evaluate your current

packaging’s sustainability, define your packaging priorities, and get inspired by others’ innovative solutions.

Is Your Current Packaging Sustainable?

To answer this question, start with an audit. Assess direct and indirect environmental impacts of your packaging at every stage.

Consider its true ‘circularity’. Can it be reused, repurposed, recycled, or composted?

It’s also helpful to consider how you can extend the length of your packaging’s ‘life’. Or maybe it could have a secondary ‘life’? Some bottles and jars, for example, can be refilled multiple times before being recycled into something else.

you might be able to package your products in a way that’s great for people and planet.

Change the Product • If your product’s shelf life doesn’t depend on packaging, you could just switch it up completely, for example, toothpaste in tablet form, shampoo in bar form, cleaning products in powdered form.

Take the Bulk Approach • If you can hook into in-store refill stations or provide your product in bulk to retailers, you could remove the need for individual unit packaging. Can you sell your products in larger containers/packs to reduce the amount of material used and reduce the frequency with which customers need to buy more?

Reduce Packaging • There are lots of ways to reduce the amount of material used in your packaging. Can you encourage consumers to decant and repackage products into their own containers at home? Maybe instead of selling single packs, you can you sell products in a resealable larger pack? For example, Nice & Natural offers ‘naked’ muesli bars without wrappers.

Consumers can pop them into lunchboxes or eat them straight out of the packet.

Many brands have already made the shift to sustainable packaging, keep reading to see some examples of business champions, doing their part for a circular economy.

Life Cycle Assessments

Life cycle assessments (LCAs) evaluate the environmental impacts of your packaging’s entire life cycle.

It’s important to compare different packaging materials’ sustainability alongside how many times they can be reused or recycled.

How can you do things differently?

There are many ways to reimagine packaging. Dream big about how

Got an Idea, but Need Some Funds?

Introducing CircularConnect, helping solve plastics challenges by connecting businesses to the right experts to help achieve 2025 plastic packaging targets.

The vision of CircularConnect is to create a more sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand with less waste by embracing circularity in the design of our systems, products, and packaging

Helping your business find solutions to your plastic challenges by connecting you to the right consultants and technical experts

Want to make plastics more circular in your business?

Plastics NZ can provide practical assistance and co-funding to businesses wanting to take steps towards achieving plastics circularity.

1

2 review

3 review

Development & Feasibility Phase 2

Pre-Application

Discovery Phase 1

Contact Plastics NZ to discuss your project needs

Initial phase to define opportunities for circularity

Development planning and testing for a longer term circularity project

50% subsidy available – Up to $3500*

50% subsidy available – Up to $20,000

Apply for pre-approval for co-funding for the project

Implementation Phase 3 Implementation of a longer term circularity project

No subsidy available

*The 50% subsidy is paid toward the cost of consultant(s).

funding eligibility criteria

NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS

CIRCULAR PLASTICS

ENGAGE A CONSULTANT

WASTE HIERARCHY

Are you a business with an operation in Aotearoa NZ?

Do you believe there’s an opportunity to improve plastic circularity in your business?

Do you want to use a consultant to help you advance a circular approach?

Are you open to using the waste hierarchy as a framework for your circular approach?

How it works • Get in touch with Plastics NZ if you or a business you work with wants to get more circular in the plastics you create or use.

There will be a quick preliminary discussion to determine if the project will fit the funding criteria for CircularConnect.

• Complete a short application form.

• Plastics NZ will connect you with 2-3 potential experts who can

REPORTING Will you provide Plastics NZ and MFE with the outcomes of the project?

help if you don’t have someone you work with already. You can then decide which expert you think will work with your organisation best.

• Plastics NZ sign a funding agreement which details the specifics of the project, the level of funding and the dates for completion.

• Get started on your circular plastics project!

April/May 2022

I 17

sustainablepackaging Plastic in Focus as Sanitarium Advances Towards Sustainable Packaging

Understanding both the imperative of climate action and the importance consumers now place on the sustainability of the products they purchase, Sanitarium Health Food Company will aim to make all its product packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

T

his new target headlines several recent packaging changes made by the NZ-owned food and beverage manufacturer that aim to reduce its use of virgin plastic and help divert tonnes of soft plastic from landfill every year.

Marmite jars are now made from 100 percent recycled plastic (rPET) and can be recycled again and again, while the amount of high-density plastic (HDPE) used to make recyclable Marmite lids has been reduced. On top of that, Marmite and Weet-Bix now carry the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) – a helpful new icon system that provides clear instructions on the best way to recycle each packaging element. It also highlights to consumers that both these products are 100percent recyclable.

Sanitarium Health Food Company, General Manager New Zealand, Rob Scoines said the recent packaging changes

18

I

fbtech.co.nz

are important milestones on the Company’s sustainable packaging roadmap, with more collaboration to come over the next three years to achieve its target.

“Sanitarium is committed to working with government, industry and domestic recycling bodies to support a circular economy for our product packaging, while continuing to explore the feasibility of more sustainable packaging solutions that balance our need to provide consumers with safe, nutritious, great tasting and affordable health foods,” he said.

“I’m pleased with the steady progress we’re making towards our 2025 goal. The changes to Marmite jars and lids reduce the amount of virgin plastic we use by more than 40 tonnes a year, and the new recycling label we’re rolling out shows tremendous potential to improve consumer recycling knowledge and behaviours, particularly around soft plastics recycling.

“For example, just by recycling the soft plastic liner inside WeetBix packs, there’s potential to divert about 60 tonnes of plastic from landfill each year. Apply this same behaviour across even some of the eligible soft plastics that the average household uses in a year, and you can see how quickly a little change makes a big difference.”

Food & Grocery Council CEO Katherine Rich said it was great to see two iconic New Zealand brands champion the use of the Australasian Recycling Label, which has been shown to double the likelihood of consumers

The changes to Marmite jars and lids reduce the amount of virgin plastic we use by more than 40 tonnes a year, and the new recycling label we’re rolling out shows tremendous potential to improve consumer recycling knowledge and behaviours, particularly around soft plastics recycling. recycling soft plastic.

“With a jar of Marmite or a box of Weet-Bix found on breakfast tables in more than half of all Kiwi homes, this is an exciting opportunity to increase consumer awareness about what food packaging can be recycled and how to do it correctly – whether it be through kerbside services, or in the case of soft plastics, return to store.”

Helping Kiwis to Recycle More Packaging, More Often Sanitarium has also launched a new sustainable packaging hub on the Sanitarium website. It includes clear guidance on how to recycle packaging across the full range of Sanitarium products, updates on the company’s sustainable packaging efforts as well as advice on other ways consumers can take a more sustainable approach to the foods they consume.

“As well as improving the

sustainability of packaging across our product portfolio, we want to provide resources to help Kiwis confidently recycle more packaging, more often, and reduce their own carbon footprint through other impactful measures such as reducing food waste and making more sustainable food choices,” noted Chris Stanbridge, Sanitarium Sustainability and Product Development Manager.

“Just like healthy eating and exercise, the key to making recycling habits stick is to remove or reduce the friction points of taking action. That’s why packaging material improvements and clear advice to consumers on how to recycle are among the most impactful ways Sanitarium and other food manufacturers can help make recycling easier and contribute to a cleaner, greener New Zealand.”

The Ketchup Bottle of Tomorrow Heinz, maker of the world’s favourite ketchup and beloved condiments, is teaming up with Pulpex to develop a paper-based, renewable, and recyclable bottle made from 100 percent sustainably sourced wood pulp.

I

nnovating its iconic ketchup bottle, Heinz is the first sauce brand to test the potential of Pulpex’s sustainable paper bottle packaging for its range of world-famous condiments.

For The Kraft Heinz Company, this collaboration is the latest step in its journey to reduce its environmental footprint. It progresses the company’s sustainable packaging ambitions, in that it aligns with its goal to make all packaging globally recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025. It is also an innovation that will help Kraft Heinz achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Heinz and Pulpex are developing a prototype to test how the cutting-edge innovation could be used for Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles and other packaging formats in years to come. Pulpex’s current data indicates that the carbon footprint of Pulpex bottles is materially less than glass and plastic on a bottle-by-bottle basis. Once used, they are also expected to be widely and readily recyclable in paper waste streams.

“Packaging waste is an industrywide challenge that we must all do our part to address. That is why we are committed to taking steps to explore sustainable packaging solutions across our brands at Kraft Heinz, offering consumers more choices,” expressed Miguel Patricio, Kraft Heinz CEO. “This new Heinz bottle is one example of how we are applying creativity and innovation to explore new ways to provide consumers with the products they know and love while also thinking sustainably.”

The next step in the process will involve prototype testing to assess performance before testing with consumers and bringing the bottle to market.

“We are delighted to work with Heinz to bring our patented packaging technology to such a famous name in food and are excited about the potential of this collaboration.

We believe that the scope for paper-based packaging is huge, and when global household names like Heinz embrace this type of innovative technology, it’s good news for everyone – consumers and the planet,” said Scott Winston, Pulpex CEO. The pulp-based bottle would become the newest option available to Heinz Tomato Ketchup fans, joining the recyclable Heinz iconic glass bottle and plastic bottle, as well as plastic squeeze bottles with their 30 percent recycled content (available only in the E.U.) and 100 percent recyclable caps.

April/May 2022

I 19

sustainablepackaging

PHASING OUT PROBLEMATIC PLASTICS

From 1st October 2022 retailers can no longer sell or distribute targeted plastic items and they can no longer be manufactured.

T

he regulations give effect to policy decisions made in June 2021 following an earlier consultation period. The regulations were approved and announced in March 2022. This gives businesses a six-month period, until 1st October 2022, to transition away from the targeted items.

Plastic is one of our greatest

environmental challenges. It regularly ends up as waste in our landfills, our moana and whenua.

Difficult-to-recycle packaging and products can interfere with New Zealand recycling systems and are often used only once before being disposed of.

Shifting away from hard-torecycle and single-use plastics will help reduce plastic waste, improve

our recycling systems, and protect our environment.

This shift is also part of our journey to move Aotearoa New Zealand towards a low-carbon, low-waste circular economy.

The Government consulted publicly on its phase-out proposals in 2020. This was part of a broader response to the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand report released by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor in 2019.

Close to 8,000 submissions were received during the consultation.

Most were in support of the proposals. There was a good level of response from the general public, affected businesses, environmental and community groups, and local government agencies.

Items that are easier to replace are to be phased out sooner than those that are more challenging to replace. This approach is to strike a balance between the public feedback for fast action and providing businesses with adequate time to prepare.

Providing information now on the dates for the phase-outs allows time for businesses and the public to adjust (eg, use up old stock, make changes to product lines and find suitable alternatives).

Alternatives to Items Being Phased Out Practical alternatives are readily available for some of the items and plastic types proposed for phase-out. Many businesses and individuals have already made changes. Alternatives may include reusable items (eg, metal spoons or reusable containers), non-plastic alternatives or easier to recycle plastics (such as types 1, 2 and 5).

Compostable and bio-based plastic alternatives Bio-based and compostable plastics have emerged as alternatives to some traditional plastics. Compostable alternatives often require processing in a commercial composting facility to break down. These are not available everywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand. In general, biobased plastics behave in a similar

20

I

fbtech.co.nz

way to conventional plastics and will not degrade in the same way as their original source material. If these plastics become litter, they can harm wildlife in the same way as conventional fossil fuel plastic products.

The phase-out of drink stirrers, plastic-stemmed cotton-buds, plastic produce bags, plastic plates, bowls and cutlery and plastic straws extends to all types of plastic including compostable and bio-based plastics.

The Ministry for the Environment encourages businesses who are looking for alternatives to the hard-to-recycle plastics, which are subject to the phase-outs, to consider reusable or recyclable alternatives in the first instance.

Plastics that need more work Expanded polystyrene • We heard through the

consultation process that phasing out expanded polystyrene will be challenging where it is used to transport cold items like seafood or protect large homeware items across long supply chains. We are working with sector experts to identify possible solutions and areas where alternatives could be used.

Single-use cups (including coffee cups) • We heard through the consultation that it was not clear what types of cups would be included in a phase-out of single-use cups and that coffee cups should be included. We are working with sector experts to develop a plan for single-use cups (including coffee cups) and lids in the future.

Wet wipes • Single-use wet wipes were not proposed for phase-out.

However, given the public response regarding these items, we are working with sector experts to develop a plan for wet wipes which could involve a phase out and/or other policy measures.

More detailed guidance around scope, alternatives, compliance, monitoring, and enforcement will be published around August 2022.

The Ministry also intends to run webinars alongside this guidance, with more information available around mid-2022.

CONFOIL BAKERY PRODUCTS Confoil offers an extensive range of products to the baking industry including parchment muffin wraps, decorative paper baking moulds, vegetable parchment flan trays and baking paper.

Our muffin wraps are perfect for promoting your muffins and cakes. The stock lines include both plain and printed varieties in white or brown and seasonal prints are also available.

These muffin wraps can be customised with your logo and corporate colours, but minimum quantities do apply.

The exquisite Italian-made Novacart decorated paper-baking moulds can be used in either the microwave or oven and they hold their shape during the cooking process. The perforated bases eliminate excess moisture allowing you to bake and serve in the mould.

Locally manufactured to accredited standards, with all relevant food packaging certifications you can be safe in the knowledge that the packaging is clean and hygienic.

Freephone: 0800 107 620 | Email: info@confoil.co.nz | www.confoil.co.nz April/May 2022

I 21

sustainablepackaging

NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN SUSTAINABILITY

PepsiCo is fizzing for its newly launched sustainable packaging. Owned by Frucor Suntory, all the brand’s 600ml bottles are now made from 100 percent high-quality rPET (Recycled type one plastic).

T

his packaging change is for the popular Pepsi Max, 7UP and Mountain Dew 600ml bottles, and contributes to Frucor Suntory’s 2030 sustainability goals. Part of which includes a pledge for all their packaging to be recyclable, compostable, biodegradable or reusable by 2025.

Pepsi Max sales have drastically increased over the last year, growing at three times the rate of the total cola category in New Zealand. With an increase in sales and therefore production, it was important to the company that they make changes to be more sustainable. The use of rPET means there is nine percent less virgin plastic on the Frucor Suntory production lines and approximately 30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions per bottle.

The new bottle release comes with a nationwide campaign of recycled posters, branded electric buses, and limited-edition packaging.

“Partnering with some of New Zealand’s media partners, we’ve ensured sustainability is at the forefront of the campaign with the hope to drive behaviour change while also minimising any environment footprint,” explained Charlotte Parker, Associate Business Director of OMD Auckland.

“We’ve hand-selected our partners based on how their business is making moves in the sustainability space.”

To generate talkability around sustainability, the launch will feature on-air and via social and street activity with Mai FM and The Edge.

Street teams will head out with the new 600ml Pepsi Max rPET bottles sampling outside special builds across New Zealand.

“The transition to rPET is a huge commitment and one that we are proud to help deliver to New Zealanders at a time where sustainability and closing the loop is more important than ever before,” said Darren Fullerton, Chief Executive Officer of Frucor Suntory.

“As an organisation we are led by our Suntory vision ‘Growing for Good’ and we strongly believe we have a role to play in protecting the environment and supporting local communities to do the same.”

With striking visuals displayed across major New Zealand cities, the campaign aims to drive consideration and discussion amongst cola fans.

22

I

fbtech.co.nz

column

THE LOGISTICS BEHIND SOFT PLASTICS RECYCLING

Since the start of the year, soft plastic recycling bins have been introduced in stores in Dunedin, Ngatea, Mosgiel, Rangiora and Waihi. This month collections start in Masterton and Carterton, with expansion across Tauranga District from June and plans for Thames Coromandel in the works.

O

ur purpose is to provide New Zealanders with access to drop off recycling bins around the country. It’s not as simple, however, as just putting a soft plastic recycling bin at a supermarket or retail outlet. Before we do that, we need a sustainable collection and transport system so that we can pick up the soft plastic, bale it ready for transport back up to Auckland for processing. Every

solution also has to be designed around the specific location.

We have a network of collection partners and transport partners and, where possible, we leverage the transport networks of member companies. For example, across the Upper North Island, participating Countdown stores bale the soft plastics ready for transportation via their store vehicle network to Auckland.

In 2021 Goodman Fielder

transported more than 55 tonnes of baled soft plastic from Christchurch via their transport network to be turned into posts at Future Post.

The recent relaunch in Dunedin was made possible through significant teamwork between Scheme members and local business.

Soft plastic from the region is collected from participating Countdown, New World and The Warehouse stores by Cargill Enterprises, and is baled by Waste Management. The baled plastic is backhauled to Christchurch by Cottonsoft, then via Goodman Fielder’s transport network to Auckland for processing.

In some regions, the problem is often finding a local operator that can bale the plastic and, on some occasions, sourcing a baler to provide a solution is a challenge.

It takes time to develop collection systems which are both cost effective and minimise, where possible, the environmental footprint.

Soft Plastics Courier Bag Trial Nearly 80 percent of New Zealanders now have access to soft plastic recycling within 20km of where they live or work, with almost 200 drop off locations and new initiatives with environment hubs and council community centres.

However, people living in rural areas, or in regions where we haven’t yet been able to resolve logistics issues, have been asking how they can recycle their soft plastic. This has led to an exciting partnership with NZ Post and Future Post offering Kiwis a courier pick-up service of their soft plastic.

This opens up soft plastic recycling to communities without current access to a soft plastic recycling bin, or those who are unable to get to their local store.

It’s an additional and/or alternative service to the store drop off network.

The pre-paid soft plastic branded courier bags cost $7 each and are on sale from NZ Post stores, The Warehouse and The Warehouse Stationery stores, as well as online (www.nzpost.co.nz) and through a trial at selected New World stores in the Manawatu.

The courier bag is made from 80 percent recycled plastic waste supplied by Scheme member Sealed Air. Soft plastic is lightweight and can be squashed down so a courier bag will take around 1kg of clean and dry soft plastic, which equates to approximately 125-150 bags or wrappers (this represents around 2-3 weeks’ worth of soft plastic waste for an average household).

The $7 price pays for a courier collection from home or work by NZ Post, the courier service back up to Auckland, collection of the bags from NZ Post’s Distribution Centre by Abilities Group who will bale the soft plastic ready to transport to Future Post and finally the processing costs of turning the plastic into Future Posts. People can also drop off the bags at any NZ Post shop. The courier bags themselves are recycled yet again with the baled plastic.

The courier bag service is a perfect solution for small businesses and workplaces to collect and recycle their soft plastic waste, with options to purchase multiple bags in cartons of 10 available.

April/May 2022

I 23

growersnews RECORD YEAR FOR KIWIFRUIT MARKETER

Arecord crop, ongoing investment in brand-led demand creation, and the industry’s ability to respond and leverage its scale and structure have helped Zespri deliver a record result for the 2021/22 season, with total global fruit sales revenue exceeding NZ$4 billion for the first time. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLANT HEALTH MORE PERTINENT THAN EVER

The 12th of May 2022 is the very first International Day of Plant Health.

Initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) off the back of the International Year of Plant Health, the day recognises the vital role that healthy plants play in keeping people and the planet healthy. Read more here

APPLES FROM THIS YEAR’S HARVEST STILL ON TREES

Industry representatives have reported that labour shortages in the apple sectors are costing growers millions of dollars with an industry-wide loss of more than $105 million expected.

Napier grower Kelvin Taylor said he had to leave 15 percent to 20 percent of his apple crop on the trees this year, with not enough hands available to pick the fruit.

Read more here

2022 PUKEKOHE YOUNG GROWER WINNER REVEALED

Sarah Dobson, a 25-year-old environment and sustainability technician at A.S. Wilcox, has won the 2022 Pukekohe Young Grower competition.

The competition tested the four contestant’s vegetable and fruit growing knowledge as well as the skills needed to be a successful grower.

Read more here

FIRST-EVER PLANTS GROWN IN MOON DIRT

Scientists have grown plants in soil from the moon for the first time, the soil was collected by Nasa’s Apollo astronauts. Researchers had no idea if anything would sprout in the harsh moon dirt and wanted to see if it could be used to grow food by the next generation of lunar explorers. The results stunned them.

Read more here

24

I

fbtech.co.nz

RECORD TOMATO HARVEST IN 50-YEAR HISTORY

Wattie’s has marked the end of its tomato harvest season with some of the highest yielding tomato paddocks in the company’s 50-year history. “Our harvest team have worked extremely hard to keep the machinery operating through several wet weather spells to maximise our yield from each tomato crop. We couldn’t be prouder of the team in delivering the key ingredient to many of our Wattie’s products.” Read more here

April/May 2022

I 25

meet thegrower

Emma Clarke’s grandparents and parents established Woodhaven Gardens after leaving Wellington for what they thought would be an easier lifestyle.

“N

either had extensive gardening experience, so it was mostly trial and error,” explained Clarke. “But 40 odd years later, we’re still here.”

The farm is divided into four sections. Each day, everything from planting and sowing to harvesting could be underway.

“We’ve got 24 different types of vegetables, sending out five and a half thousand to seven and a half thousand units per day around the country.”

Woodhaven Gardens is one of the top four farms in New Zealand in terms of production.

It grows everything from broccoli, leek and cabbage, Chinese vegetables, fennel, spinach, and seasonal vegetables like zucchini, pumpkin, and watermelon.

“We’re innovating with positive environmental impact, minimising environmental degradation that may happen if we continue farming conventionally, through to innovating in terms of machinery and assembly line production for our pre-packs.”

Clarke’s father always wanted the business to be inter-generational.

“Soil health and looking after the environment has always been a priority, but it’s the cultural, economic, and social pillars that are also important.

“We need to be sustainable within the labour force, ensuring staff have a great experience that’s not monetary-based, through to fostering that family business feel to our staff because we are just

26

I

fbtech.co.nz

a big family.”

Clarke noted that the shifting focus on sustainability has made the horticulture industry question the how farmers do things.

“It has refined our production techniques and put a microscope on our practices.”

Climate change is another factor affecting how things are done at Woodhaven.

“Climate change is starting to affect us in terms of varieties that are set for a particular season, like winter lettuce, and it’s pushing that calendar out.

There’s no atypical May/June; winter is carrying on into November/December with an unsettled spring.

“This is challenging because we’re not getting consistency in weather patterns, which has affected our purchasing decisions and freight.”

Labour shortages were another challenge affecting operations.

“Covid-19 has created a massive labour challenge. There’s no free flow of migrant labour, and there is no horticultural business that doesn’t require migrant workers, so that’s difficult.”

Clarke said she thought the labour shortage would continue to be a constraint long after Covid calmed down, but despite these challenges, Woodhaven won the Horizon Balance Farm Environment Awards in 2020.

“That was massive, positive public recognition for all the environmental work we have been and still are doing. It’s a good indication that we’re on the right path to a sustainable business.”

Clarke encouraged those new to or thinking about horticulture to go for it!

“Get a summer job on a farm, do the hard yards. Learn what it’s like to pick and pack the produce, and further your education.”

regional spotlight

NORTH Canterbury Located on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island and on the doorstep of Christchurch city, North Canterbury is internationally renowned for food and beverage production.

The mighty region is an abundant food basket with 90+ vineyards, beef/sheep/ arable farms, forests rich with wild game, market gardens, truffières, apiaries, rivers, and coastlines full of kaimoana.

Meet some of the amazing local producers from North Canterbury...

regionalspotlight

FERNSIDE MICROFARM

“T

Owners and operators of Fernside Microfarm, Hayley and Michael Heron had been living in North Canterbury for six years when they accidentally stumbled on their ‘forever’ home in December 2019 - a lifestyle block of ten acres with a beautiful barn style home.

28

I

fbtech.co.nz

he property just captivated us,” they expressed.

“We had already been living as sustainably as we could; growing our own vege’s, fishing, harvesting seafood and preserving our harvests so we always knew where our food was coming from.”

Hayley explained that she has a deep connection to her Māori heritage and grew up eating sustainably from the land and sea.

Kai was always grown and shared among the community, and respect for the land and its bounty was always integral to the way of life.

Michael was brought up around commercial greenhouses tucked in below the Port Hills in Christchurch. Michael’s parents grew roses and sold them nationally to markets and wholesalers. He has many childhood memories playing with his brothers and helping his parents among rows and rows of roses.

“We are both very mindful of our responsibility to respect and protect Papatuanuku / Mother Earth, so vertical farming was a natural step for us due to the reduced amount of water and land required to produce nutrient dense food without chemicals or fertilisers.”

The long-term environmental benefit of vertical farming is what drew the Herons to their current business model. After spending months creating a business plan, preparing a suitable climate controlled indoor growing facility, and getting registered and verified.

“We invested all our spare time learning about the various microgreen varieties, growing processes, marketing, branding and sustainable packaging. We built our website, designed our own logo and labelling, and we print everything in house. Our vision is to produce as much as we can on our property without

needing to outsource.”

In July 2021, Fernside Microfarm launched its products locally, and now supply dozens of restaurants, cafés, and wineries as well as wholesale produce suppliers and farmer’s markets.

“Right from the outset, we wanted to ensure that our products were of impeccable

quality, so we started with a single racking system (grow tower) and spent months perfecting the growing technique of our four main varieties, broccoli, sunflower, three radish varieties and pea. We now grow up to ten varieties of microgreens at any given time.

“We went with coco coir as a medium, growing in shallow trays under varied spectrum LED lights.

Microgreens are grown from seed, so it was important to us to find an established and trusted supplier who had a proven track record for quality.

Once planted, our grow trays go into a germination phase – some varieties for a day or two, and others for longer. Once the germination process is complete, the trays go under the lights, and it is absolutely magic watching them propagate. One day it will be a sea of yellow, red and lime green, and the next day those same trays will be beautiful deep greens,

purples, pinks, and maroons.”

Microgreens are an efficient use of resources – land, water, medium – and is a very rapid yield from seed to harvest and the Herons noted that growing vertically is a promising future food source.

Fernside Microfarm have four main varieties (sunflower, broccoli, pea and radish), all with very different taste and texture profiles. They also grow Kohlrabi, Amaranth, Red Cabbage, Kale, Bok Choy, rocket and occasionally do special runs of the more uncommon varieties like Cilantro and Mizuna.

“Our most popular product is our Mixed Blend – it is a combination of all four of our main varieties plus two to three specialty blends (this changes week to week). We package our retail Microgreens in 50g or 100g compostable containers and have a weekly subscription service where we deliver 240g in a

re-usable airtight container. Live trays are also a popular choice for restaurants and cafés. “ Products are sold at Rangiora Welcome Market on Thursday evenings, Ohoka Farmers Market on Friday mornings, Christchurch Farmers Market and Amberley Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, Oxford Farmers Market on a Sunday morning, Rangiora Produce Market seven days a week, and on their website.

“We are also about to begin supply to two local supermarkets.”

The freedom to innovate is what the Herons find most exciting about what they do.

“Through learning about vertical farming, we have been able to put those skills to use to branch out into things like edible flowers, chillies and herbs; something we are hoping to eventually supply during winter when they are out of season.”

April/May 2022

I 29

regionalspotlight

Owner of Emporium Brewing, Paul Finney has always said that having a brewery was the result of a hobby that spiralled out of control, the brand starting as a contract brewery in Christchurch.

“W

e owned a homebrew shop called Finney’s Homebrew Emporium and as any homebrewer will say, the dream is of brewing professionally. So, we started Emporium Brewing and a year later moved to Kaikoura to set up a permanent base,” explained Finney.

The Finney’s moved to Kaikoura in August 2016. The search for a building in which to house their own brewery led them to stumble upon their current site in Kaikoura. Plenty big enough for the brewery, an existing mini golf course, and lots of potential to add other fun attractions, they couldn’t resist.

The timing wasn’t exactly perfect (opening the doors to the new business just five weeks before the big earthquake) but the couple’s determination to make their dream into reality continues to spur them on.

As a father of two beautiful girls, Hazel (nearly three) and Annabel (ninw weeks), Finney’s morning is spent trying to get them ready for the day. Then, it can be anything from a 12-hour brew day to cooking in the food van, to serving beer and back to cleaning kegs or bottling the newest beers.

“Oh, and any maintenance that needs doing.

Never a dull moment!”

Emporium Brewing focuses on creating highly drinkable beers with lots of variety.

“We are not just focussed on hop forward beers, however, we make a lot of traditional beer styles too.”

30

I

fbtech.co.nz

Emporium Brewing recently put together a 20-bottle beer pack where all the beers were different, and different styles.

“I get a lot of inspiration from the European beer styles from where I grew up. I love Belgian style beers and would make more of them if they sold better! A lot of brands, and bars, go for the hoppier styles. We do make them, but if you come to our tap room there is always something different on tap for people to try and experience new styles.”

Styles currently on tap are: Pilsner, Dubbel, Belgian blonde, Saison, Imperial IPA, White IPA, Barrel aged Stout, APA, Bright ale, fresh hop pale ale, and probably something new already by time this comes to print.

Finney noted that breweries have a bit of an advantage when it comes to incorporating sustainability into the business.

“We all tend to use kegs which hold 50l at once, they are also reusable. The grain from the brew is always fed to the local goats and cows. At the bar we allow people to reuse their own riggers for takeaways. Our beer labels are mostly made of paper (there are the odd ones that are not) and the backing is also paper.”

Creating something that brings people together is what Finney enjoys most about his job.

“The beers, the site here, the mini golf and escape rooms. All those activities bring joy, and it is very rewarding hearing the laughter.”

When asked what it is people don’t typically know about brewing beer, Finney said he thinks a

lot gets made of the hops, but not so much about the grain and certainly not a great deal about the yeast.

“The yeast makes the beer and without it there is no beer. (the saying goes “Brewers make wort, yeast makes beer”) and the variety of yeast is amazing. You could even give two people the same yeast and if they treat it differently, they’ll get different results. The one yeast strain we use here is called Kviek and it comes from the highlands of Norway. Great little yeast that seems to get better the worse you treat it!”

Finney said his experience watching more businesses move to local beer providers has been great, adding that the creativity that the smaller breweries have brought back to beer has made great beer more accessible.

“I would say to anyone, seek out the local breweries. There are many of us around now and most of us are family businesses that will pump any profits back into the community they are situated in. Support these breweries directly if you can too as it makes a difference.”

Foothills Honey’s beginnings reach back to when its owner and managing director, James Malcolm – a wayward teen at the time – stumbled across hives on the family farm. He was captivated and the early beginnings of Natural New Zealand Honey Ltd was conceived.

“F

ast forward 15 years, we have a team of 20, eight seasonal staff, and 9000 beehives!” Laura Malcolm, James’ sister, expressed.

“I have worked for Natural New Zealand Honey since 2015, the Manuka boom was at its peak and the company was rapidly expanding so James asked if I would come home for the summer to implement better office systems and I jumped at the opportunity!

My background in mining and forestry made me well equipped for the highs and lows of the honey Industry.”

Foothills Honey works with farmers across Te Waipounamu – some as far as the West Coast, some as close as next door. Hives are placed on farms where the bees feed and in return, pollinate vegetables and clover, putting vital nitrogen back in the soil.

“Strong, lasting relationships are what makes this happen, without our team, farmers, and contract service providers none of this is possible. Beekeepers keep the bees healthy, healthy bees produce honey which in turn makes a product we can export and sell.”

Foothills Honey produce premium, single sourced Manuka, Rata, Clover, Kamihi, and Honey Dew. A typical day in the office depends on what curve balls are thrown Laura’s way. For the beekeepers, no two seasons are the same. There’s liaising with farmers, checking for bee disease, and collecting honey.

While there are whispers of new, innovative honey products and continued goals of upping best practice across the company, James and Laura run an organisational community that relies on the health and prosperity of nature – the future of the bees is at the centre of it all.

And so, they take their role as bee-guardians seriously using sustainable and biodegradable equipment in their hives, their new product range is sold in glass jars as opposed to plastic and they educate their community on safe ways to spray and to plant bee-friendly gardens.

“Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do, from using sustainable and biodegradable equipment in the beehive to holding an annual river clean-up for our community.”

The company proudly won the Sustainability Award at the North Canterbury Business Awards in 2021.

For chefs and manufacturers wanting honey as an ingredient, Foothills Honey produce 350 tons of honey per season, are compliant with MPI, EU Accredited, Halal and verified by Asure quality.

“Bulk honey production, supply and ensuring quality standards, this is what we do best!”

Did you know: A single bee can only produce roughly one tablespoon of honey in its lifetime and one third of the food we eat is thanks to bee pollination.

Laura’s favourite part about what she does is what the Foothills Honey team calls Api-therapy.

“Being outside with nature, we run hives in some of New Zealand’s most pure and breathtaking scenic areas, all of us have a shared passion for working with and protecting those agricultural champions, the honeybee.”

April/May 2022

I 31

regionalspotlight

Diana Hawkins is a food technologist by training, and loves making real food from scratch. It doesn’t matter whether it’s pasta sauce at home from fresh tomatoes, onions and olives or cheese from fresh milk and a culture/fermentation.

F

or Hawkins, it’s about quality and knowing your ingredients. After raising babies, Diana and her husband Alan had the opportunity to buy into Karikaas, and Diana has been with the brand ever since.

Karikaas was started in 1984 by a Dutch couple, who picked Loburn because of the quality of the water. “We took over in January 2004.

We are very good at what we do and have the awards to prove it, but we are also very proud of our efforts and achievements – we care, so we can maintain our standards,” expressed Hawkins.

North Canterbury is where it all began.

“We are in North Canterbury – we collect milk from a farm in North Canterbury, all our staff live in North Canterbury, Rangiora New World is our best retail supermarket in the South Island. We are a parochial lot, and supporting our people, as individuals (staff and family), our community and our region is what we Northern Cantabrians do well.”

Karikaas collect milk as and when they need

32

I

fbtech.co.nz

it from the farm in Oxford in their own wee tanker. Milk is then pumped into the factory, it’s pasteurised, and then sent through into one of Karikaas’ vats at an appropriate fermentation temperature. (it could be cheese, kwark, yoghurt or buttermilk).

“Culture is added and then we nurture the fermentation until it is ready for the next stage. With cheeses we hoop the curd (put into moulds), press for a few hours, and then they spend three days floating in a saturated brine solution, before heading to the cheese store.

Cheeses are lovingly waxed and turned for at least two months – and up to four years, depending on the age of the cheese we are selling.”

Sustainability has been a cornerstone of Karikaas since it first began in 1984. The company use only what it needs and tries to limit waste and recycle anything it can, including heat and chemicals. Even the wastewater is recycled into growing trees.

“My biggest bug bear is the amount of

vacuum packing we must use, and even the offcuts cannot currently be recycled, though our bag manufacturer is working on a recycling programme for that to occur.

“If we could sell cheeses in bigger pieces, we would massively reduce the packaging required – but that is dictated to us by supermarkets. Like many other companies, we are investigating solar as a power contribution to our system, looking at our carbon footprint and how to manage what we can and offset what we can’t while new technology is being developed.”

Karikaas have a range of Dutch style cheeses, and a range of fresh products of European style (Kwark – a fresh spreadable cheese, Yoghurt, Buttermilk, and cultured unsalted butter – a companion product to buttermilk). The company has a small shop in Loburn and a website. Fresh products are sold in South island Foodstuffs supermarkets, and cheeses are sold in supermarkets all over New Zealand. A number of wineries and deli’s around the country also stock Karikaas cheeses.

Hawkins explained that if a chef or manufacturer is wanting quality and flavour in a cheese, then that’s what Karikaas does, but she noted, for them it needs to be functional – do they want to melt it, grill it, serve it fresh, use it as a garnish?

You need different cheeses for different purposes.

The philosophy behind Karikaas is that it’s a brand that cares.

“We care about our people firstly, we care about what we do and how we do it, making sure we make the best products from the best ingredients we can source. We care about our community and our customers. Sustainability is about working with everyone to give us all the best we can do ethically, maintaining profitability, and being proud of our achievements collectively – because you can’t do this on your own. It’s a team – every part is dependent on every other part.”

Jax Lee-May, general manager at King Truffles, holds a degree in Design and a post grad in Marketing, which she admits helps with sales but doesn’t exactly scream out truffle farmer.

“I

had done several holiday stints working in the truffle nursery while I was studying, producing truffle tree seedlings for other growers. But it was when I got back from my OE and trained up a dog for locating truffles for our first harvest season that I became hooked,” Lee-May explained.

“With life skills learnt from growing up on a high-country farm, running around with a team of sheep dogs and a lifelong love of growing things, I found myself taking over the day-to-day running’s of everything at Kings Truffles.”

Kings Truffles is a family owned and operated business based in North Canterbury. Founded

by Bill Lee in 2003 off the back of a passion that led him to research and train with some of the world’s best in Europe and Australia. Joined by Jax, his daughter in 2006 and with the support of an enthusiastic board of Directors, the team constantly seek to innovate and explore the possibilities of supplying stunning fresh Black Truffle to the New Zealand market, and soon beyond.

King Truffles has five different sites, with trees all at different stages, located around Waipara, North Canterbury. It has an ideal weather pattern for growing black truffles that are full of taste and aroma. Long hot growing seasons with the odd decent rainfall (or irrigation which is usually King Truffles’ case), teamed with the dry frosty winters are what the team prefer, and most seasons they get it.

“We are also very fortunate that many of our sites have a high pH with available calcium and a very friable, well aerated soil which is also ideal for successfully growing quality black truffle.

“It isn’t just the land and climate that is special here though, it is the people also. Well known for its quality wines, there are also many other entrepreneurial growers in the area. It is very easy to draw inspiration on what is being done and I love the fact that many are family businesses that have made the shift to growing organically.”

Lee-May had not actually tried truffles before she got hooked on the idea of being a truffle farmer. It was the opportunity to be able to work on the land, with her family and dogs, in an area that she loves that drew her to the work.

“It just so happens that I also (luckily) love truffle! Its ability to make a simple dish shine, the ultimate Unami, all while bringing people together makes it the ideal winter treat for me.”

Lee-May explained that when the company first started producing truffles many people didn’t even realise there was truffle being grown in New Zealand, so King Truffles added a Truffle Hunt experience to their offering.

“What started as a marketing purpose to teach people that truffle wasn’t just being grown here, but very successfully and with great quality, has turned into a large part of our season and storytelling. It is also an invaluable way to receive feedback, meet people who are passionate about New Zealand food and a reminder of how fortunate we are to be doing what we do.

“Starting in the morning with a hot drink and a sweet truffle treat, we talk about Kings Truffles, growing, truffles and dogs. Then it is onto the hunt and getting people down on their hands and knees smelling the truffle in the ground. After a good hunt we head back to our little shed for a taster of fresh pasta served with truffle butter and fresh shavings. There is always a chance to purchase some of the mornings finds, and if you are lucky enough to have booked in for a truffle lunch at Black Estate, they are happy to shave your truffle directly on!”

King Truffles’ core product is fresh black truffle during the months of June - August.

“We sell this direct to chefs all over New Zealand as well as via our website to home cooks.

We aim to harvest and package withing 48hours, if not the same day as harvest, and then send on overnight courier. With truffle that hasn’t sold immediately we make a truffle butter with 10 percent fresh truffle. We also have our truffle tours, site consultations for potential growers and truffle tree seedlings.”

Being a family business, sustainability is something that is very important to King Truffles. The company has been chemical-free at its producing truffiere for over three years, with the next step getting certified with BioGro and making the shift to chemical-free on its other properties. Sustainability is also incorporated into all aspects of the day-to-day running of the company; for example, having two of the farms, family homes and processing kitchen all powered by solar.

Lee-May explained that most people don’t know that there is an actual science behind why truffles are so alluring to so many people.

“Truffles release pheromones, making them deliciously desirable to many, but not all! This is also what attracts truffle-hunting animals such as pigs and dogs also. It is one of my favourite reactions when holding a truffle hunt and watching people smell a fresh truffle for the first time, there is definitely a split between the lovers and haters.”

April/May 2022

I 33

regional spotlight

Mylk Made’s founder and director, Jemma Turner has a background in Project Coordination (in particular the engineering industry) along with other coordination roles. She had always been interested in entrepreneurship and had felt that owning her own business would be a fulfilling lifestyle, but it did feel like a pipe dream.

34

I

fbtech.co.nz

“T

he idea of Mylk Made came about in Indonesia during a year long trip with my partner; a café had a similar concept which made so much sense for so many reasons such as sustainability, waste reduction and convenience,” explained Turner.

“My general enthusiasm for plant-based foods and sustainability mixed with the desire to start my own business was exactly the motivation I needed to take the plunge and make Mylk Made happen when we returned home.”

It was a balancing act to begin with; juggling a full-time job and working on Mylk Made after hours. Turner noted she was fortunate to have the guidance of her parents who have been on many small business journeys of their own, which was crucial to setting Mylk Made up with the proper foundations.

“Nearly two years on, my mum Corinne and I run Mylk Made together, along with a small team of kitchen staff and sales reps.”

Mylk Made is your typical ‘start up’ story.

Literally born in a shed, and still in a shed, but it has expanded.

“When I came home from Indonesia, I asked my parents if Max (my partner) could build a small commercial kitchen in their shed. The 6x8m shed was full to the brim with storage; family treasures, bikes, fishing gear and more, but thankfully dad (hesitantly) agreed to let us take over a small section. Fast forward, and we have grown to take over the whole thing and have even had to build more storage outside of it.

“We are so fortunate to be able to run the business from a home-based commercial kitchen.

Mylk Made is a family run business and our premises (and staff) reflect that.”

The company’s Mylk Bases have been created using the best spray free or organic ingredients where possible. Best efforts have gone into sourcing New Zealand grown nuts and seeds where available, including Macadamias, Hazelnuts and Hemp. Things that don’t grow here like almonds, Mylk Made make the best decision which aligns with the brand’s values, in this case it’s sourcing almonds from Australia rather than the USA.

The team at Mylk Made start by adding the nuts and seeds separately into one of the large stone grinders, which very slowly grinds the nuts and seeds into a super smooth base. The slow grinding process helps to retain the full nutritional content from the whole nut, and the weight of the black granite stone rollers ensures the smooth, runny consistency.

Stone grinding is a very long, slow process.

It depends on the type of nut or seed and the amount of oil content, for how long it will take to grind into the right consistency for our bases.

It can be anywhere from 1-12 hours, and this also depends on how much product you are adding, and the size of the batches.

Once the pure nut/seeds are ready, it is poured into buckets and measured out into batches and any other ingredients, to then put back into the grinder to mix together. When the final product is ready, it’s hand poured into glass jars, labelled, and put on the shelf.

Mylk Made mylk bases are a cleaner and greener alternative to buying plant milk in a carton. A waste free solution that is both good for you and good for our environment.

“We believe you do not need any unnatural additives or preservatives in your plant milk for it to taste good. In fact, we stand by it tasting better with less. We are big believers in making the world a better place by living a life with less waste. Swapping out plant milk cartons for reusable glass jars of mylk base is a pretty great way to act on this.”

Mylk Made also has a barista base range which has the addition of organic roasted chicory root.

“We’ve selected the creamiest and smoothest nuts for these flavours, which compliment coffee and other hot drinks. We offer bulk quantities for hospitality, as well as offering our return system for jars and bulk buckets.

“Our mylks work just like any other plant

mylk; you can enjoy it on its own, in baking, smoothies, coffee, cereal, protein shakes and more.”

You can find Mylk Made mylk bases at a range of independent stores and New World’s nationwide. And very soon, the brand will be stocked in select Countdown stores. You can also check out the full range online.

Knowing that other people believe in the ethos of offering a waste free solution to plant-based milk is one of Turner’s favourite aspects about what she does.

“It’s an incredible feeling knowing that our mylk bases are now a staple in many people’s pantries and are a part of their journeys of either reducing their household waste or choosing milk alternatives that don’t contain any nasty ingredients.

“By choosing Mylk Made, you’re supporting a locally run, small business. You’re choosing a plant mylk option that is helping to reduce the amount of carton waste which is ending up in our landfills. It’s a small change that is contributing towards a larger societal movement of a waste free, plastic free future.”

April/May 2022

I 35

regionalspotlight

Julia Warren is the owner of Make it Raw, a small business specialising in delicious wholefood options for healthconscious consumers and those on restricted diets.

36

I

fbtech.co.nz

S

ince adolescence, health and wellbeing have always been a big part of Warren’s life as she often competed in athletics representing New Zealand.

After high school, she stopped competing and began her journey at the University of Canterbury.

During her time at university, Warren took a course on environmental sustainability, which eventually led her to work in organic store, Huckleberry Farms in Auckland, sparking her passion for wholesome, raw food. From there, she began experimenting, borrowing as many books as she could find from the library, and bought her first dehydrator.

“The connections I made while working at Huckleberry Farms in Auckland were really helpful when I later presented them with my products hoping they would stock Make it Raw,” said Warren.

In 2011, Warren and her partner, Max, relocated to Christchurch, where his parents offered her a stall at the Ohoka farmers market, which they run. It was then Warren identified a gap in the market for nutritious alternatives to the usual crackers, muesli bars and cereals and set about producing her range.

“That was the beginning, and we are still at the Ohoka Market every Friday morning. It has been an invaluable resource for testing new

products and getting real-time feedback on what people like and don’t.”

Starting out as a farmers’ market stall, Make It Raw has since grown into a small team selling its products throughout New Zealand.

Each Make it Raw nourishment batch is carefully handcrafted in their kitchen, hidden amongst native bush.

Sustainability is at the core of Make it Raw and incorporated into all facets of the business, including kitchen practices, packaging, organic ingredients, composting and recycling.

Rather than heading offshore, packaging is locally-sourced from Croft Print, a small business in Christchurch that uses sustainable

boards and soy inks.

Make it Raw aims to produce its products from organic ingredients and sources these from Ceres Organics and Chantal, primarily.

“We also use hazelnuts grown on the property using no sprays.”

Currently, Make it Raw has products stocked in stores across New Zealand, including Farros, Huckleberrys, some New Worlds, Moore Wilson and Piko, its website and at the Ohoka Farmers Market on Fridays. Products include a range of crackers, bars and granola.

“We have four flavours of crackers; Rosemary and Almond, Sundried Tomato and Almond, Kalamata Olive and Almond and Turmeric and

Carrot, and three flavours of bars; Triple Nut Banana Bar, Blackcurrant Banana Bar and Fig and Honey Banana Bar. “Our cereal is a Spiced Apple and Buckwheat Grawnola, and we have recently added our range of Nibblies - a combination of nuts and seeds and flavours; Sweet ‘n’ Spicy, Sweet’ n’ Salty and Cinnamon’ n’ Maple.”

Make it Raw also boasts an extensive range of slices, chocolate bars and energy balls, all gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free.

April/May 2022

I 37

The Knowledge You Want, The Experience You Need ESTABLISHED SINCE1923

Review Publishing Co Ltd is a leading B2B publisher across a range of titles from FMCG to fashion, hospitality to hotels.

Each title enjoys wide sector recognition by both advertisers and subscribers alike.

Backed by a strong team of professional writers, digital marketers, photographers, videographers, designers and graphic artists this pool of talent has worked with emerging brands through to multinationals.

Review is constantly developing innovative ways to get your message to market and with the pandemic this has meant skillfully identifying new areas of business. We have refreshed, added new titles such as EduCatering to focus on specific areas of opportunity, reaching a well established and targeted audience throughout the country.

THE CHANGING MEDIASCAPE

Today, diversification is key to any successful business. Here at Review Publishing, we have strengthened our digital and social platforms to increase engagement with our readers. Utilising the

Review Publishing Co Ltd PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland (09) 304 0142 | edit@reviewmags.com Retail 6, Heards Building, 2 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland 1050

latest technology, we continue to improve and evolve, providing our advertisers and readers the latest in trends, forecasting and news.

From brand support, knowledgeable content creation to social media management and strategy, we have invested in our team and processes to attain the widest industry targeted reach across our many channels, getting the right message to the right audience.

Our professional teams of writers, marketers, designers, and social media experts have amassed a wealth of industry knowledge across foodservice, retail, fashion, retirement/aged care and hospitality, technology, and FMCG. The Review media team has been well placed over decades to assist with launching brands, building existing brand extensions, event management, developing and implementing social media strategies and marketing campaigns as well as assisting brands to enter new categories, sectors or countries.

Get in touch today, the team pride itself on their ongoing brand relationships that in some instances have spanned decades. Great content is the magic bullet. We invite you to extend your relationship with us today and see how we can broaden your customer engagement, brand awareness and drive sales.