40,000 meals donated as NZFN marks fifth anniversary
The New Zealand Food Network's (NZFN) fifth birthday celebrations have been boosted by a whopping five tonne meat donation from meat processor ANZCO.
Meat processor ANZCO Foods has reported an annual turnover for 2022 of $1.90b - compared with $1.64b for 2021 - and net profit before tax of $147.7m (2021 $75m) for the 2022 financial year.
"This result reflects a continued focus on core business activities, growing returns from strategic investments and the hard work and dedication of our people who have continued to deliver through challenging times," says chief executive Peter Conley.
"ANZCO Foods has a core focus on ensuring livestock is procured to meet customer expectations, and this has enabled the company to capitalise on the strong demand globally for premium beef and lamb," he adds.
Conley says the company's attention to supporting key customer relationships and delivering improved revenue streams from its value-add business investments are also big contributors to the strong performance. Other challenges continued during the year, including ongoing impacts from Covid-19, labour shortages, inflationary pressure, and continued supply chain disruption.
"Our healthcare business has been strengthened with the acquisition of Moregate Biotech which has complemented our existing work at Bovogen, and accelerated our capacity, expertise and customer set in the healthcare and bioscience sector," Conley adds.
He adds that the company actively supports people and communities across New Zealand, particularly in rural communities through donations, sponsorships and scholarships.
"We were pleaed to be able to assist people in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, and while the effects of this storm will be long lasting, our people have been active on the ground providing food, and farm supplies to help farmers through this challenging event," Conley explains.
"2023 is already providing challenges with adverse weather events, global volatility, and an uncertain economic outlook. ANZCO Foods remains committed to doing all we can to continue to deliver strong returns, ensure the industry remains stable, and contributes to a strong and vibrant agribusiness sector."
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.

OPINION: Election years are usually regarded as the silly season, but a mate of the Hound reckons 2026 is shaping…
OPINION: If farmers poured just a few litres of some pollutant into a stream, the Green Party and the wider…