DairyNZ chair defends butter prices amid global demand
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
Software specialist Company-X is acquiring advertising agency Hot Mustard's app developing business.
The acquisition on September 1 comes after Hot Mustard's Sales App Centre managing director Paul Bell sought Company-X out.
"We were a specialist software company focused on agribuiness with a small team looking for an opportunity to work with a larger development company with more expertise and resources," Bell says.
"One of the reasons we approached Company-X is that is has some agribusiness clients, and a very good understanding of the agribusiness sector."
DeLaval, the worldwide leader in milking equipment and solutions is a long-term Company-X client. Company-X built a global e-learning solution for DeLaval. Company-X used the text to voice editor it built, Voxcoda, to provide narration in multiple languages.
Sales App Centre was incorporated in March 2012 and developed the first mobile apps for Ballance Agri Nutrients, DairyNZ and Zespri International.
"We specialise in apps for agribusiness," Bell said. "Including a lot of farmer-facing apps that need to work in the field where there is no internet connectivity."
Other Sales App Centre clients include CRV Ambreed, Farmlands Co-op Society, Giltrap Engineering and Primary ITO, Company-X will assume responsibility for app and systems development, including the associated databases and application programming interface (APIs).
Hot Mustard's new business unit Hum will retain responsibility for website development.
Bell said Sales App Centre clients could only benefit from the acquisition, as they will be working with a larger, better resources, broadly experience team, with a proven software development track record. Company-X also had comprehensive testing and support services.
Company-X co-founder and director Jeremy Hughes says while Hot Mustard's key strength is media and design, having Company-X own the software development space lets the two companies work to their respective strengths.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
Farmers are welcoming new Government proposals to make farm health and safety rules more practical and grounded in real-world farming.
Missing fresh mozzarella cheese made at home in Bari, southern Italy, Massimo Lubisco and his wife Marina decided to bring a taste of home to New Zealand.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
Irish meat processor Dawn Meats is set to acquire a 70% stake in Alliance Group, according to a report in The Irish Times.
OPINION: Is the Government's taxonomy proposal dead in the water?
OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of…