Developments

Dairy sector turns attention to on-farm action

As the Government’s Action for Healthy Waterways becomes law, DairyNZ is turning its attention to what this now means on-farm. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said it is encouraging that Government has listened and made vital changes to elements of the freshwater proposal, including more time for some policies to be implemented. “For many farmers, these changes cannot be made overnight. For example, the 190 kg cap for nitrogen fertiliser presented a real challenge for some farmers – particularly the tight timeframe to implement it,” said Dr Mackle. “So, we are pleased Government has listened and is giving farmers consenting options that will phase reductions up to July 2023. This will give farmers breathing room to adjust their pasture, animal and people management. “We are keen to ensure that timeframes for all regulations are fair and reflect the considerable effort made by dairy farmers to date.” DairyNZ advocated for an evidence-based, pragmatic policy to be delivered through the freshwater proposal, to meet New Zealand’s water quality aspirations in a fair and efficient way. “The Government has adapted some aspects of the original proposal and taken a better approach for others with science-based rules and practicality for farmers on the ground,” said Dr Mackle. “Our original assessment showed we could deliver on water quality improvement with less economic pain. While DairyNZ is pleased the proposed DIN has been parked, analysis shows this measure should be completely dropped. “The DIN attribute will not drive the ecosystem health outcomes the policy aimed to deliver. We also consider that the nitrogen toxicity standard of 2.4 g/m3 is too conservative for highly developed pastoral catchments,” said Dr Mackle. “Simply put, we need to have realistic expectations about the type of aquatic biodiversity that these highly modified, productive catchments can support. It is unrealistic to […]

Aptean launches new food and beverage ERP partner program

Aptean, a global provider of mission-critical enterprise software solutions, announced the launch of a new, global partner program designed to expand the company’s geographic reach for its Aptean Food and Beverage ERP solutions with world-class channel sellers. The partner program extends Aptean’s Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform offerings for Business Central, Finance and Supply Chain Management in select European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) countries, as well as in the Latin American (LATAM) and Asian Pacific (APAC) markets. As food and beverage organisations around the world continue scaling their businesses to keep up with consumer demand, their need for best-in-class enterprise resource planning technology becomes critical to finding success in today’s unpredictable economic landscape. To navigate margin pressures, improve traceability and quickly adapt to changes in the supply chain, these businesses need specialised software designed for their industries, as well as regional customer support resources that operate in local time zones and languages. “Aptean’s Food and Beverage ERP Partner Program recognises those who have proven to be trusted advisors to their clients and are committed to the food and beverage industry. Additionally, our partners are uniquely positioned to provide the highest quality of service, technology and expertise to ensure customers achieve success with our unified ERP system,” said Bob Kocis, Chief Revenue Officer at Aptean. Launching with Velosio, iPlan Global, Notora, Olivia Sistemas S.L. and Rödl & Partner as charter members, this program will enable Aptean to support, recognise and reward its approved partners as they provide sales and support for software both in the cloud and on-premise. “Our partnership with Aptean has strengthened our ability to meet the evolving requirements of food and beverage organisations. Together, we provide the ability to operate more effectively by enhancing visibility and creating more efficient, profitable business practices. Our team is looking forward to gaining […]

New startup supports local Kiwi artisan producers

The Kiwi Artisan Co launches off the back of Covid-19 pandemic New Zealand online startup, The Kiwi Artisan Co, selects the finest small batch artisan goods for food lovers nationwide, supporting and celebrating local independent producers from Southland to Central Otago, Canterbury to Nelson, and Hawkes Bay to Northland. The artisans, specifically chosen by The Kiwi Artisan Co, handcraft their goods from locallysourced, high quality ingredients in small batches using sustainable production processes. The thoughtfully curated range of delectable sharing platter boxes are tailored to individual tastes and dietary requirements. Each online order received at kiwiartisan.co.nz is hand packed and delivered direct to your door, making it easier for foodies to entertain, connect and discover the real taste of New Zealand with friends and family. The Kiwi Artisan Co takes pride in sharing the story behind its artisans and their products, providing customers with a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and the craft by which it is produced. Originally a simple market stall in Central Otago supporting local producers, The Kiwi Artisan Co came to fruition off the back of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Like most small retail operations, the business struggled to survive during lockdown and was particularly affected as local markets and events were cancelled across the country. Without a strong online presence, operations came to a standstill. “The shutdown period was tough, but it was even tougher watching those small artisan producers struggle who really depend on local markets and retail shops to survive,” explains Dave Thorn, founder of The Kiwi Artisan Co. “We were determined to launch The Kiwi Artisan Co business online as a way to support the small batch artisan community and broaden artisan platter options for Kiwis who love to entertain at home.” Dave quickly set about building a small team […]

McCain Foods ploughing on with Canterbury Plains growers

When McCain Foods first opened its new Timaru Potato plant in 1994, the company was focused on forging strong relationships with New Zealand growers. McCain has always underpinned its operations by growing green and local. Twenty-six years later, and this mantra is stronger than ever. The 550 million potatoes processed through the Timaru plant each year are harvested from rich New Zealand soils, including the Canterbury region, which Daniel Lovett – of Lovett Family Farms – calls home. Daniel’s parents, Greg and Joanne, began supplying potatoes to McCain in 2000. Two decades later, Daniel, his wife Emily and their children work alongside Greg and Joanne to continue the relationship – supplying delicious chips and French fries to their fellow Kiwis. Speaking about the challenges the farm has encountered over the years, Mr Lovett explained how the longstanding partnership the family formed with McCain has benefitted their farming operations. “We’ve encountered a vast amount of issues, from weather extremes, seedline issues, fertilizer trials, soil borne diseases, over/under production and the potato psyllid. But we have always been able to work through those problems with McCain’s team.,” Mr Lovett said. “McCain brought Innovator potatoes to us, which is a potato variety which is significantly more resistant to soil borne disease. It grows in fewer days than other varieties, resulting in less spray and risk to the elements.” “The innovator potato now makes up 50 per cent of what we produce. The research, and the expertise of McCain people, particularly in seed development, has seen us increase yield and profitability for our farming operation.” The McCain team’s relationship with Lovett Family Farms has also led to a streamlined supply process. “McCain approached us and another grower in 2010 to build a shed on farm to store potatoes on behalf of McCain,” Mr Lovett […]

Carbon steel flexible screw conveyor introduced

Flexicon Flexible Screw Conveyor Model 1450 can handle diverse materials ranging in size from large pellets to sub-micron powders with no separation of blends. Flexicon have introduced a new base model 1450 flexible screw conveyor with 115 mm O.D. polymer conveyor tube and low cost carbon steel floor hopper and discharge housing. Round, square, flat or beveled flexible screws in any length from 3 to 12 metres are offered to convey virtually any free- and non-free-flowing bulk material including products that pack, cake, seize, smear or break apart. The only moving part contacting material is the inner screw, which self-centres as it rotates, providing ample space between the screw and tube wall to minimise or eliminate grinding. The lower end of the screw requires no bearing, while the upper end is driven beyond the point of discharge, preventing material contact with bearings or seals. Fully enclosed, the conveyor tube prevents product and plant contamination, while the gentle rolling action imparted by the screw prevents the separation of blends. Model 1450 is available with an optional start-stop control panel and a range of flow-promotion devices. The company also manufacture other flexible screw conveyors, as well as pneumatic conveying systems, tubular cable conveyors, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag conditioners, bulk bag fillers, manual dumping stations, drum/box/container tippers, weigh batching systems, and automated plant-wide systems integrated with new or existing process equipment.

NZ food industry benefits from leading-edge portable drying technology

Drying Solutions Ltd founder Robert and wife Paulette Barnes with their Rexmoi dryer, a unit that services the food and pet-food industry. When Robert Barnes was asked by a friend to build a dryer to dehydrate macadamia nuts 25 years ago, he never thought it would be the start of his own drying machine business. Robert, an electrician and refrigeration engineer by trade, set up his own refrigeration and air-conditioning company in 1989, attracting Port of Tauranga as one of his clients. Since 1995 he has also been using his skills to develop highly innovative Rexmoi Dryers. He sold the refrigeration and air conditioning business five years ago to focus solely on Drying Solutions Ltd. Now Robert is gearing up to exhibit a Rexmoi dryer, at his fourth Foodtech Packtech show next month. Robert says he is proud that his dryers enable people to turn ordinary products, in some cases waste material, into high-quality, high-value finished goods for the ultimate benefit of New Zealand. Rexmoi dryers use a refrigeration system, rather like a heat pump, to create a warm, dry enclosure where the products are dried. Warm, dry, filtered air flows over the product to remove the moisture which is then condensed and drained out through a small pipe. The product is laid out on stainless steel trays mounted on trolleys for easy handling. Several different types of tray are available to suit the various products such as wet slices, nuts, raisins, pet-food and bushy material. The dryers use much less energy than other drying systems and are totally enclosed so no smells or gases are emitted into the atmosphere. They are covered by several patents and trademarks. The drying process is controlled by a programmable controller which Robert sets in conjunction with the client to provide an optimum drying […]

Cheers to a good brew

Sam Wood (left) and Willy Cowper. -Aaldert Verplanke Brewing your own beer is a challenge for most people and more known for the disasters than the good ”batch”. This story is about Kiwi ingenuity, passion, perseverance, believing in the product and a “sustainability” philosophy. Ian Williams is a brew master and has travelled the world practicing his trade. Encouraged by his uncle to come up with a “fail proof” brewing kit for home brewers, Ian spent about 2 years developing the process and ingredients to produce high quality beer at home. When he finished his first prototype, it was time to consider manufacturing a saleable product. He took the design to Sam Wood at ATI engineering in Hastings to manufacture the brewing appliance. Sam was keen and thought, “great – all the design and development work is done; now we just have to make it.” However, to get to a sellable product it took another year and a half. Producing an appliance that involves heating, cooling and pressure, has lots of challenges. Keeping the cost down was one of them, and still is. The WilliamsWarn BrewMaster was finally created, capable of producing consistently good beer with ingredients supplied by WilliamsWarn. This would not have happened if it were not for NZ and overseas investors who believed in the product – Sam had also become a shareholder. However, the small number of appliances produced meant that costs were prohibitive, so the decision was made to design a lower cost product that could be manufactured offshore using mass manufacturing techniques not available here in NZ. A complete rethink and redesign by Sam resulted in the introduction of the BrewKeg™ that is now produced in four different brew batch sizes, from a small 10L homebrew kit up to 150L for the microbreweries. It […]

NZ bioactives initiative targeting $51 billion global industry

Bioactives from plant-based foods and horticulture an opportunity to kick-start a high value Māori-led export sector An initiative to extract and commercialise high value bioactive molecules from plant-based foods and horticulture for the global bioactive ingredient market, expected to reach USD 51.71 billion by 2024, has the potential to kick-start a new Māori-led export sector. Bay of Plenty-based Te Whāi Ao Ltd has joined forces with Hamilton-based nanotech business Ligar LP to develop a pipeline of high value bioactive molecules to capitalise on the burgeoning consumer interest in bioactives and immunity boosting supplements, alongside plant-based foods. At today’s launch, Te Whai Ao and Ligar signed a memorandum of understanding to collaboratively plan and develop a new entity called The Refinery, a business and facility focussed on the large scale extraction and commercialisation of bioactives. The Bioactives Refinery Project was the catalyst for the public launch of the Solutions Lab led by Te Whai Ao, the first of the regional Federation of Māori Authorities’ member-led FOMA Innovation Solutions Labs designed to provide Māori with new pathways into innovative enterprises and to increase participation in the hitech sector. Te Horipo Karaitiana the Chief Executive of Te Awanui Huka Pak and Te Whāi Ao (pictured above)says bioactives from Aotearoa New Zealand plant-based foods and horticulture present an opportunity to kick-start a new Māori-led export sector. “Bioactives from horticultural waste streams will open up sustainable opportunities for Māori to increase the value of primary sector exports. The initiative is a perfect fit for our innovation company Te Whai Ao, which is focussed on growing revenue by expanding and deepening the impact of horticultural activities, and growing capability and enterprise for Māori. This initiative has the potential to grow a new generation of great jobs for Maori,” says Karaitiana. “By partnering with Ligar we can […]

Fonterra confirms appointment of Teh-han Chow to CEO Greater China

Fonterra is pleased to confirm the appointment of Teh-han Chow to the role of Chief Executive Officer, Greater China. Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says since December 2019, Teh-han has been at the helm in an acting capacity, overseeing the Co-op’s overall Greater China business, including Ingredients, Foodservice, Consumer Brands and China Farms. “He’s made an impressive contribution. It’s certainly not been a steady-state. Teh-han has been responsible for implementation of our new strategy across the Greater China business, and over the course of this calendar year, has shown outstanding resilience, resourcefulness and empathy in getting his team and our China business through the ongoing challenge of the COVID-19 global pandemic. “Teh-han’s leadership has helped keep us in good shape during a very challenging set of circumstances, and I’m delighted to welcome him formally to the Fonterra Management Team – it’s well deserved”.

DairyNZ: the top 10 things Government can do for dairy

DairyNZ has released its ten policy priorities for the 2020 election and its ‘The View from the Cow Shed’ report which provides policymakers with insight from the farm, says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “This election we wanted to give voice to dairy farmers’ concerns and priorities to help politicians better understand the issues impacting on farmers. So, we surveyed our dairy farmers and asked them what they thought,” said Dr Mackle. “Our dairy farmers are world-leaders in the production of sustainable, emission efficient and nutritious dairy, but we still have a significant farmer confidence and wellbeing issue in this country that pre-dates Covid-19.” The View from the Cow Shed survey compiled feedback from dairy farmers across New Zealand. Key trends include challenges with mental health, technology and government regulation. “It was really encouraging to see that 94 percent of farmers reported they were proud to be working in the dairy industry at the moment,” said Dr Mackle. “But at the same time, 62 percent of farmers said they or someone on their farm had experienced mental health issues over the last year – with an uncertain regulatory framework identified as one of the main contributing causes. “50 percent of farmers said they don’t have access to the broadband internet they need and 52 percent don’t have adequate mobile reception on farm.” Dr Mackle said when asked about their community’s outlook over the next three years, 64 percent of farmers expect things to decline. “Farmers were also asked what motivated them the most to get out of bed in the morning – what was great to see is that working and caring for animals is the main driver for 43 percent of farmers. Providing for their family came in a close second,” said Dr Mackle. “This sends a tremendous […]

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