Alliance Group chief executive steps down
Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.
Alliance Group and in-market Chinese partner Grand Farm have committed to a significant expansion of the co-operative's grass-fed lamb, mutton, beef and venison across China.
The companies, which have been partners in China for almost 25 years, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Beijing as part of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' recent visit to that country.
Alliance's general manager sales, Shane Kingston, who is part of the PM's business delegation to China, signed the MoU alongside Grand Farm president Mr Xibin Chen.
"This agreement marks a new phase in the long-standing partnership between Alliance and Grand Farm, China's largest importer of sheep meat," Kingston says. "It reflects our shared ambition for Grand Farm and Alliance to be the leading red meat provider in China.
"We look forward to introducing Pure South, Silere, Lumina and Handpicked product ranges to a broader base of Chinese consumers across multiple channels and strengthening the brand presence and value creation from our premium portfolios."
Alliance Group celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, while 2024 will also mark the 25th year of the co-operative's relationship with Grand Farm.
The company has been working in China since the mid-1990s and is the largest exporter of New Zealand lamb to the country.
A partnership between Canterbury milk processor Synlait and the world's largest food producer, Nestlé, has been celebrated with a visit to a North Canterbury farm by a group including senior staff from Synlait, the Ravensdown subsidiary EcoPond, and Nestlé's Switzerland head office.
Canterbury milk processor Synlait is blaming what it calls "a perfect storm" of setbacks for a big loss in its half year result for the six months ended January 31, 2026.
More of the same please, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Karl Dean when asked about who should succeed Miles Hurrell as Fonterra chief executive.
A Waikato farmer who set up a 'tinder' for cows - using artificial intelligence to find the perfect bull for each cow - days the first-year results are better than expected.
Fonterra says it's keeping an eye on the Middle East crisis and its implications for global supply chains.
The closure of the McCain processing plant and the recent announcement of 300 job losses at Wattie’s underscore the mounting pressure facing New Zealand’s manufacturing sector, Buy NZ Made says.

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