Developments

And creates a market-leading food manufacturing group across Australia and New Zealand. Patties Foods Limited (“Patties”), an iconic Australian food manufacturer, has announced the acquisition of Leader Products (“Leader”), a manufacturer of quick, easy, delicious frozen convenience food products based in New Zealand. Leader was established by Tony Peterson and Richard Crabb in 1998 and over the last 18 years the business has emerged as the market leader in New Zealand in addition to exporting to Australia and Asia. The company is growing strongly and has doubled revenue in the past five years. Mr. Peterson will continue to drive the company’s growth strategy in his role as Managing Director and will maintain a stake in the combined business. Leader’s product range includes meatballs, burger patties, toppas, finger foods and meal solutions under the brands Leader, Tony’s Tucka and Kauri Coast. Leader supplies grocery retailers, distributors, sporting stadiums, convenience stores, cafes, hotels, restaurants and caterers in New Zealand, Australia and Asia. The company is the market leader in innovation and new product development in the frozen food product sector. Paul Hitchcock, CEO of Patties, said that Patties and Leader were natural partners – both focused on manufacturing high quality frozen foods known and loved by customers. Iconic brands in the Patties portfolio include Four’n Twenty, Patties, Herbert Adams, Nanna’s and Chef’s Pride. Mr. Hitchcock said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with the Leader team. We believe the combination of Patties and Leader will provide significant growth opportunities for both companies given our complementary savoury meals and snack products, manufacturing operations and sales footprints. This deal will create a market-leading food business across Australia and New Zealand. “Leader is a great New Zealand success story and we are very keen to support the team in their continued growth. For example, […]

The summit (www.sustainablefoodssummit.com) is taking place on 18-20th January 2017 in San Francisco for the seventh consecutive year. Agriculture is often cited as the cause and victim of many of the environmental and social issues facing the planet: from climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity to social inequality and economic migration. The opening session will highlight the role of sustainable food systems in helping resolve some of these major issues. The Regenerative Design Institute will discuss the solutions provided by permaculture, whilst another paper explores the science of biomimicry. With proteins coming under scrutiny for their high ecological impacts, approaches to reduce environmental impacts of livestock and seafood production will be discussed. Theresa Marquez, Chief Marketing Executive of Organic Valley, will highlight the benefits provided by organic livestock farming. Elizabeth Candelario, Managing Director of Demeter Association, will explain how biodynamic agriculture can produce climate-friendly foods. The Global Salmon Initiative will show how sustainable seafood farming can help alleviate the proteins crisis. Another session gives an update on the growing palette of sustainable ingredients available to food and beverage firms. Seema Kedia from Barry Callebaut will kick off the session with details of the company’s sustainable sourcing programs. She will give insights on how such programs are improving the lives of impoverished growers in developing countries. Other papers will cover developments in marine ingredients, natural flavourings, and natural colours. Although the mandatory GM labeling bill has now been passed, there remain concerns about its scope and implementation. Details will be given of the new bill and its implications to the sustainable food community. Will adoption rates of voluntary schemes such as the Non-GMO Project continue to rise? What new schemes could emerge to cover GMOs in livestock products and / or the foodservice sector? The waste impacts session highlights best-practices in […]

Globally there is increasing interest and research in cover crops within cropping systems. The questions New Zealand growers are asking are, ‘what benefits can they bring to our systems and how can they be practically managed’?’ Allister Holmes, FAR’s Waikato based Research and Extension Manager, says weed suppression, improved soil health and reduced erosion, nitrogen fixation, improved biodiversity and the ability to provide in situ or cut and carry animal feed are just some of the reported benefits associated with the use of cover crops. However, he says, more work is required in order to understand how any effects, either positive or negative, can be managed in individual farm systems. “Recently FAR have increased their research into cover crops, focussing on their integration with maize systems. Much of this research has been based at FAR’s Northern Crop Research Site (NCRS) at Tamahere in Waikato, where currently six cover crop trials are underway. These trials are investigating issues such weed suppression, growth and development patterns, growing cover crops under maize, intercropping, establishment techniques and the impact of cover crops on following crops.” Cover crops and weed suppression Assessing different cover crops and their weed suppressive abilities. The trial, which is looking at faba beans, gland clover, oats and annual ryegrass, builds on a trial from last season, investigating a range of pre- and post-emergent herbicides and whether the weed control provided by cover crops could be used to reduce herbicide applications. The cover crops were sown in early winter and maize will be over sown in spring, before harvest assessments are carried out in autumn. Trevor James and Mike Trolove from AgResearch’s Farm Systems are undertaking this work. Growth and development patterns Observing growth and development patterns of a range of cover crop species were sown with two sowing dates, and […]

In the picture: David Musgrave managing director. From Regional Manufacturing a section of NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Eve Johnson sits on the board of Functional Wholesale Products and has come back into the company as Development Manager.  Eve has worked with FWF for 11 years now and was formally CEO. She shares with NZ Manufacturer plans for the future. Functional Whole Foods Limited, based in Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand specialises in the production of high quality, cold pressed flax seed oil and seed meal. The Company formulates these products with other natural extracts to produce and market a range of products with particular health benefits. The products are sold widely throughout New Zealand and a number of countries overseas. All products are made from New Zealand raw materials that are certified organic and are from sustainable production. The Company has established and built the flax seed oil market over the past 20 years and remains the market leader in New Zealand. Functional Wholesale Products is in partnership with The Herb Farm developing and producing a range of healing cosmetics that are building momentum. What area(s) of the business are currently being developed? Our partnership with Japan – we are exploring new avenues and revenue streams in this lucrative market for Flax Seed Oil. New routes to market in New Zealand with opportunities to expand the concept overseas. Does the company place much emphasis on R & D? Yes we do and have worked extensively in the past with Massey University and Crop and Food, Canterbury.  More recently with Lincoln University through Charles Brennon.  We have found the use of students an excellent R&D find! Where do you export to and where are future opportunities? Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Czech Republic.  Future opportunities in the UK and Europe, […]

The evolution of New Zealand’s farming systems towards greater sustainability, and one man’s journey to redefine what it means to be an academic, are the topics for an inaugural professorial lecture being held at the University of Waikato this month. At just 40 years old, Professor Graeme Doole is one of New Zealand’s leading environmental economists. He grew up on a sheep and beef farm in the Taihape region of the central North Island, and has spent the past decade researching the environmental problems associated with agricultural activity on both sides of the Tasman. Professor Doole acts as an economic adviser to the Ministry for the Environment, in a position jointly funded by the Ministry and the University’s Waikato Management School. One key aspect of his role is to help central and regional government develop insights into the economic impact of new environmental policies that will significantly improve the water quality of New Zealand’s rivers, lakes and streams. “Society wants better water quality, but at the same time our national economy is heavily reliant on agriculture. Now we’re faced with trying to reverse-engineer our traditional farming systems, and that’s really difficult,” he says. In recent years, Professor Doole says his academic practice has shifted towards “a more pragmatic economics where I can engage with people and help to solve real-world problems. You’re always hoping that your work will transform the world for the better, even in some small way, rather than just living in a book.” The loss of contaminants from farms into waterways remains a huge challenge for New Zealand to overcome. However, Professor Doole believes researchers often spend too long trying to build complex models, rather than looking for simpler solutions that would lead to quick environmental wins. “We need to ask ourselves, right now, what is the […]