Zespri Launches “Grown for Good” Global Brand Platform
Zespri has unveiled Grown for Good, a refreshed global brand platform, in an effort to reinforce the company's commitment to nutrition and creating value across the kiwifruit industry.
For one Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower, the 2014 season saw just a single tray of fruit loss thanks to the exceptional packing and management of local operator, DMS.
John Cook's Te Puke orchards produce a total of 82,000 trays of Hayward and G14, with all but one tray making it to export last season, his inaugural season packing with DMS.
"It's a dream result and I'm really impressed, " says Cook.
"In the past my fruit loss has been well below the industry average, but last season saw one tray total fruit loss, with a good volume of fruit carried to the very end of the storage programme. It takes good quality fruit and exceptional inventory management to end up with a result like that."
Cook is expecting similar volumes in the coming season, along with close to 30,000 trays of G3 as the first crop off three hectares that have been non-producing for the past four years during the Psa recovery.
Having been in the kiwifruit industry for the past 35 years, Cook has been through its many ups and downs and believes that having survived the Psa outbreak the biggest issue currently facing the industry is the need to future proof. That includes human resourcing at an orchard and post-harvest level, as well as at industry leadership level.
"The sector has shown incredible resilience and the recent challenges have united the industry in a way which will become a hallmark of its resurrection," he says.
According to Cook, innovation will play a huge role in driving the industry forward and for him DMS fits that role.
Mainland Poultry has confirmed new ownership of its vertically integrated agribusiness with Pacific Equity Partners Gateway (PEP Gateway) now joining current shareholders Navis.
The recently published State of the Industry -Tractors and Machinery 2025 from the Australian Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA), the equivalent of New Zealand’s TAMA, gives an interesting perspective of the industry.
Strong competition and tightening supply have seen wool reach its highest prices paid at auction since 2011.
The Government is funding a feasibility study to investigate what would be required for a successful farmer-led purchase of the McCain Foods' vegetable processing site in Hastings.
A young man just five years out of his Lincoln University degree already has his foot in the door of farm ownership, as equity manager of a large new dairy conversion now taking shape in Mid- Canterbury.
Visitors to the LIC stand at this year’s Fieldays can expect practical farm conversations, specialist drop-in sessions and exclusive shareholder events.

OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.
OPINION: This old mutt went to school to eat his lunch, but still knows the future of the country, and…