T&G Global apple returns jump 25% on strong 2025 season
T&G Global says its 2025 New Zealand apple season has delivered higher returns for growers, reflecting strong global consumer demand and pricing across its Envy and Jazz apple brands.
Alliance Group is shifting eastward, introducing its Pure South Handpicked Lamb range to the Malaysian and Singaporean markets.
The move, the co-operative says, is being made with the aim of capturing greater value for its farmer-shareholders.
In Singapore, Alliance is seeking to target chefs in the premium food service sector with fine dining cuts while also providing a range into the mainstream consumer segment with a focus on specialty butchery.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia the lamb will be launched into two supermarket chains as well as a selection of premium fine dining outlets.
Shane Kingston, general manager sales at Alliance Group, says the co-operative’s mission is to expand distribution and build scale for its Handpicked Lamb while differentiating the range from the company’s competitors and meeting the needs of an increasingly discerning consumer.
“We already have a commanding position in Malaysia with our Pure South and Silere Alpine Origin Merino distribution, and Pure South Handpicked Lamb will enable us to capture more consumer sectors and roll-out a full portfolio,” Kingston says.
Alliance’s Handpicked Lamb has built on the success of its Handpicked Beef programme. Both Pure South Handpicked Lamb and Pure South Handpicked 55 Day Aged Beef have won gold awards at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards for the past two years. Pure South lamb, beef and venison ranges were also 2023 gold award winners.
The Handpicked Lamb programme is open to Alliance Group’s shareholders who supply 100% of their ovine livestock to the company. The lamb must meet a strict range of criteria with the meat hand-selected through Alliance’s plants and then aged to ensure eating quality.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.

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