Food Processing

Exporting New Zealand agri-technology to Ireland

When Hamilton manufacturer Innovative Dairy Systems (IDS) won a Euro 4.5 million contract to deliver a cheese making machine to a large food manufacturing company in Ireland it encountered a significant challenge. The challenge wasn’t a technical one, even though the buyer wanted a machine with the capacity to produce up to eight tonnes of cheese per hour – that’s the equivalent of four hundred 20kg blocks of cheddar, gouda or mozzarella! IDS had already provided a similar cheese making machine to this buyer, who was now building a new site to become one of Europe’s largest diversified cheese manufacturers. Instead the challenge related to funding this large project, over several months and involving key sub-contractors. For example, IDS sub-contracts the stainless-steel fabrication, and the manufacture of conveyor belts and valves to local Hamilton-based companies, who all require advance payments. IDS negotiated a 30% (Euro 1.4 million) advance payment from its Irish buyer to assist with its working capital. In return, the buyer required IDS’ bank to provide an advance payment bond that matched this amount. An advance payment bond is an on-demand financial guarantee which allows a buyer to have its deposit fully indemnified in the event its supplier fails to properly perform its contractual obligations. “An advance payment bond is a reasonably common requirement where a higher deposit is sought on a project, “explains Phil Quinn, NZEC Senior Business Originator. “Because it’s on-demand, a bank will require tangible security from their customer. This can be a challenge for many small to medium enterprises, particularly for larger contracts.” When IDS encountered difficulty providing its Bank with security for 100% of the value of the advance payment, they both approached NZEC for its General Contract Bond Guarantee support. “New Zealand Export Credit performed due diligence on our company and financials, […]

Helping Nutripeople combat global hunger and food waste crises

It’s an uncomfortable truth that while a third of the world’s food is wasted, one in nine people do not have enough to eat. In a bid to redress this balance, a socially conscious Spanish food producer is turning Europe’s surplus fruit and vegetables into a nutritionally enriched, easy-to-digest and 100% natural foodstuff for people in need. Thanks to equipment and support from HRS Heat Exchangers, Nutripeople can now produce 42 million pouches of its products each year, helping those in developing countries to avoid hunger and malnutrition. An alternative approach to food waste Anyone associated with the food industry is aware of the global food waste crisis. Latest figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) show that approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted every year – roughly one-third of all the food produced for human consumption. At the same time, 795 million people across the world do not have enough to eat, with those in developing countries being the most vulnerable. Established in 2015 as a social enterprise, Nutripeople has formed alliances with some of Spain’s leading fruit and vegetable producers to turn their surplus produce into a new foodstuff with a high nutritional value, thanks to the addition of natural additives such as vegetable proteins and vitamins. Its target customers are global organisations fighting hunger such as UNICEF and Oxfam, as well as food banks closer to home. A percentage of each sale also goes directly to social projects or NGOs dedicated to feeding those most in need. In addition to the social benefits, the project also aids the circular economy. It takes on average 963 litres of water to produce one kilogram of fruit, not to mention the associated labour and transport costs and carbon emissions. Recovering this […]

DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand welcome sector-wide vision

DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand welcomes the launch of a shared sector-wide vision to be world leaders in the sustainable production of high-quality food and fibre. “We are supportive of the Primary Sector Council’s broad vision of having a coordinated approach across sectors and Government that will help us develop our international brand and deliver more value for farmers,” Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Chair Andrew Morrison said. “New Zealand farmers are constantly having to adapt to shifting consumer demands in order to compete internationally and achieve a premium in the global marketplace. Increasingly consumers are asking for assurances that the product is both sustainably and ethically produced. “We believe that our farmers are already world leaders when it comes to the production of high-quality, pasture-based products with a low environmental impact – but that doesn’t mean we can get complacent. We are always striving to improve” DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel added. “Sustainable farming has a critical role to play in New Zealand’s future prosperity and wellbeing. If we all work together to embrace change, adapt and thrive, Kiwi farmers have a bright future ahead. The Primary Sector Council’s vision – Fit for a Better World – aligns with work that is already underway from both DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand in the form of both Dairy Tomorrow and Taste Pure Nature. Dairy Tomorrow is our dairy sector strategy to ensure dairy farming is sustainable and profitable into the future. It includes six key commitments: • We will protect and nurture the environment for future generations; • We will build the world’s most competitive and resilient dairy farming businesses; • We will produce the highest quality and most valued dairy nutrition; • We will be world leading in on-farm animal care; • We will […]

Exports up

Exports of dairy products, beef, and lamb, particularly to China, increased in value in October 2019, Stats NZ said today. However, the rises were partly offset by falls in logs and kiwifruit. In October 2019, the value of total goods exports rose $206 million (4.3 percent) from October 2018 to reach $5.0 billion. The rise in exports was led by milk powder, up $194 million (32 percent) from October 2018. The rise was quantity-led, but unit values were also up. “In each month at the start of the 2019/20 export season, the total value of milk powder exports was up on the same month of the previous year,” international statistics manager Darren Allan said. “These rises reflect higher export quantities and higher prices.” Exports of lamb (up $67 million or 27 percent), and beef (up $59 million or 39 percent) were the other main contributors to the rise in exports. The quantity of lamb exports rose 20 percent in October 2019 compared with October 2018, and that of beef exports rose 27 percent over the same period. Unit prices of both beef and lamb were also up on the same month in 2018. These rises were partly offset by falls in untreated logs (down $93 million), and green kiwifruit (down $47 million). “Export prices of untreated log exports in October have now increased by 11 percent since a low point was reached in July this year,” Mr Allan said. “However, the total export value of untreated logs continues to be lower than the same month of the previous year, and in October, quantities were down by 19 percent.” The monthly movements in dairy products, beef, lamb, and logs were led by exports of the respective commodities to China, New Zealand’s largest export partner. Exports to China rose $279 million in […]

Science New Zealand Awards honour Plant & Food Research scientists

A team that has developed a ground-breaking wildfish harvesting system, a leading environmental scientist and an emerging plant geneticist from Plant & Food Research were amongst the 21 scientists and research teams recognised at Science New Zealand 2018 National Awards at Parliament in Wellington. The Precision Seafood Harvesting (PSH) Team* is the recipient of the Plant & Food Research Team Award. The team has created and developed a world-leading technology that is changing the way New Zealand fishes – the Modular Harvesting System (MHS). It answers the need for a more environmentally-sustainable way of fishing that maximises quality and limits impact to non-target catch. The development of the system put the needs of the fish at the centre of the design process, using the team’s deep understanding of fish physiology and behaviour to allow fish to be landed alive. This allows non-target catch to potentially be returned to the sea, and delivers fish that are less stressed and fatigued in better condition for export. Through the PSH Primary Growth Partnership, a collaboration was formed between Plant & Food Research, three seafood companies (Moana, Sanford and Sealord) and the Ministry for Primary Industries to commercialise the MHS. The MHS has since received landmark approvals from Fisheries New Zealand for use in some inshore and deepwater fisheries with species that account for 57% of the country’s $650 million finish exports. Dr Brent Clothier has been presented with the Plant & Food Research Lifetime Achievement Award. As a world-leading soil and water scientist with 44 years of research experience, Dr Clothier has enhanced our understanding of the natural capital that the environment provides to grow our crops and to make informed land use decisions. His work on water footprinting, soil science and climate change has prepared our primary production systems for tomorrow’s challenges. […]

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Robotics Plus wins ANZLF Trans-Tasman Innovation and Growth Award

Robotics Plus, a world-leading robotics and automation company developing innovation to unlock new levels of productivity in some of the world’s most labour-intensive food and fibre value chains, has won an ANZLF Trans-Tasman Innovation and Growth Award. The awards celebrate innovation, growth and impact of emerging businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Robotics Plus was founded in 2013 by Steve Saunders and Dr Alistair Scarfe with a simple goal in mind: to improving the quality, productivity and sustainability of the horticultural and other primary industry supply chains. The company’s R&D efforts focus on automation, vision, robotics and AI, to solve the growing challenges in the primary industry globally such as: labour shortages, sustainability for growers and producers, pollination gaps and yield security. Steve Saunders, Chairman and Founder of Robotics Plus, says: “It’s an absolute honour for the team to receive an ANZLF Trans-Tasman Innovation and Growth Award. It is validation of the hard work of a lot of people over a number of years and celebrates our innovation, culture and diversity. “Receiving such a prestigious award provides a valuable opportunity to showcase Robotics Plus to the world. We would like to recognise our fantastic partners and collaborators in the commercial, research and Government sectors, without them this would not be possible.” Robotics Plus CEO Dr Matt Glenn says the company is experiencing strong growth on the back of increasing demand for its world-first platform technologies. “Over the last 18 months Robotics Plus has launched two commercial products, entered the US and European markets, completed a US$10M Series A investment with Yamaha Motor Company and grown from a team of 12 to over 50. We also have a number of new products in the pipeline and expect our growth to continue at the same rate for the foreseeable future. “We’ve been able to […]

ThinkTop revolutionises valve sensing and control units

Alfa Laval has unveiled a refreshed, rethought version of the Alfa LavalThinkTop, the company’s best-selling valve sensing and control unit for hygienic valves used in the dairy, food, beverage, brewery and pharmaceutical industries. The Alfa Laval ThinkTop V50 and V70, the second-generation of premium control units, have been reengineered to meet customer needs while incorporating the latest advances in technology. “We have listened carefully to what customers want from a valve sensing and control unit,” says René Stietz, Product Management Valves & Automation, Hygienic Fluid Handling, Alfa Laval. “The changes we’ve made to the ThinkTop are highly responsive to customer needs and therefore highly relevant – for instance, faster and more intuitive setup without compromising durability and reliability.” Reengineered to meet customer needs For the first time, the rethought Alfa Laval ThinkTop offers customers fast and intuitive setup and commissioning; enhanced 360° LED visual status indication, a repositioned Gore Vent, a more compact and aesthetic design, burst seat clean functionality, and a QR code for easy online access to support materials and direct support. Fast and intuitiveThe new auto setup feature offers manufacturers quick, easy commissioning – up to 90% faster than the previous generation. Plus, the live setup feature coupled with true valve recognition ensures the perfect match during any-and-all setups. Adaptable and smartThe new ThinkTop fits on any Alfa Laval valve, making it perfect for all retrofits. What’s more, it is smart. It features 24/7 self-diagnostics, checking and remedying operations when required, and an enhanced 360° LED visual status indication so that operators can clearly see the valve status no matter where they are on the production floor. Durable and reliable The new ThinkTop is as long-lasting and dependable as the first generation. However, repositioning the Gore Vent makes the ThinkTop more durable and more reliable than before, […]

New Zealand King Salmon applies for open ocean farming

New Zealand King Salmon is taking a step towards the future in applying for resource consent to farm in the open ocean, north of Marlborough in the Cook Strait. Once the application is approved, the company intends to commission an initial farm with the potential to grow 4000 tonnes of King salmon – about twice the output of its largest existing farms – as the next step in furthering its 10 year goal of commercialising open ocean salmon farming in New Zealand. With over four hundred million hectares of ocean space on New Zealand’s doorstep – the fourth largest marine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world – farming a tiny proportion of the ocean could provide a significant future source of healthy, sustainable protein. In addition to positive environmental and social benefits, the open ocean farms proposed within this application will support a significant increase in production by New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS), as well as eventually delivering many green jobs to the Top of the South region. “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our company, our region, and the aquaculture industry,” says NZKS CEO Grant Rosewarne. “We’ve named our first open ocean farming project Blue Endeavour to signify the future-focused strategy we’re putting in place to harness the ocean’s potential in a sustainable way. The pens on these farms will be so spacious that we’re calling them sea ranges.” “Our changing climate and the need for low-carbon, high-nutrition food are truly global issues,” says Mr Rosewarne. “We see aquaculture as a force for good in addressing these challenges. We are investing in what we think will be the future of sustainable food production.” Research into temperature, wave heights, currents and other key environmental factors has been carried out by the company and independent scientists over the last […]

Beyond meat? The market for meat substitutes is way overdone

Paul Wood AO Adjunct Professor in Biotechnology, Monash University Meatless burger maker Beyond Meat has just reported quarterly earnings of US$67.3 million – much better than market expectations of US$52.7 million. It is now forecasting sales of US$240 million for the 2019 year, nearly three times that of 2018. But the company is yet to make a profit, let alone one big enough to justify its current market valuation of about US$13 billion. Since it listed on NASDAQ in May, its shares have surged more 700%. Investors’ enthusiasm reflects high hopes in the future fortunes of a company promising to put the sizzle into a meat substitute. Interest is booming in plant-based meat substitutes and lab-grown meat alternatives. The appeal is summed up by Beyond Meat’s mission statement: “By shifting from animal to plant-based meat, we are creating one savoury solution that solves four growing issues attributed to livestock production: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare.” How realistic is this? The data suggests not very – that meat alternatives might play a positive role but in no way are going to save the planet. Investment appetite Predictions about the market potential for plant-based or lab-made meat vary. A lot of it appears to be only slightly better than sheer guesswork. One prediction, by the well-known Barclays, is that the market could be worth US$140 billion, or 10% of the US$1.4 trillion meat market, in the next 10 years. It’s such projections that have fuelled investors’ appetite for companies working on ways to make plant-based protein look and taste like meat. There’s Impossible Foods, for example, whose burger “bleeds” beetroot juice and is the meat (substitute) in Burger King’s Impossible Whopper. The privately held company has reportedly raised more than US$500 million, and is valued at US$2 billion. Other players in […]

Food wastage and power quality

Food and beverage manufacturing is becoming a 24-hour production cycle. Because of this, production lines are now heavily automated; however, this increased reliance on sophisticated automation is making power quality issues more impactful, especially when it comes to food waste. Here Darcy Simonis, Vice President for ABB’s Food and Beverage segment, explains how fixing power quality can reduce food waste in an increasingly continuous production cycle. Food is delicate. Therefore, even slight power disruptions, from the grid, that interrupt production processes can lead to a lot of food wastage. Disruption of machines in food production and refrigeration can mean large quantities of food being burnt, spoiled or contaminated, meaning that, due to stringent health and safety regulations, must then be discarded. This can escalate fast in a continuous production system because if even one piece of equipment goes out of sync, and is not caught quickly, large quantity of products will go to waste. Disruptions from low power quality can cause machinery to shut down in an unsafe manner. Low power quality is when power supplies are disrupted and no longer power machinery properly, such as voltage drops. These are sudden increases in current that cause voltage to drop over the impedance of a supply network, causing the voltage to vary. These voltage drops result in damage to machinery that may require parts to be replaced or can lead to severe health and safety issues. For example, if a conveyor was to break down while feeding bread through an oven, it could lead to the loaves igniting, which would not only cause severe damage to the conveyor belt and oven, but the fire could then spread putting the whole plant at risk. Improper shutdowns for smart-machines can also damage internal systems, scrambling the data and leading to faults and loss […]

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