'Grand Alliance' growing grass-fed beef exports to China
Alliance Group and Grand Farm have signed a strategic co-operation agreement with a focus on delivering more premium New Zealand grass-fed beef to Chinese consumers.
Alliance Group has secured an exclusive deal to supply chilled New Zealand lamb to UK retailer Marks & Spencer.
The cooperative will be the sole supplier to Marks & Spencer from Christmas 2012, sourcing lambs from approved South Island farms for processing at the company's Lorneville (Invercargill), Pukeuri (Oamaru) and Smithfield (Timaru) plants.
This is the first time Marks & Spencer has agreed to an exclusive deal for chilled lamb from a single New Zealand supplier.
All Alliance Group products supplied to Marks & Spencer will be sourced from registered M&S Select farms so that the cooperative can trace lambs back to their farm of origin.
The M&S Select Farm scheme has supplying farmers registered on M&S Trak, a traceability management system launched by Marks & Spencer in 2009. The programme, which includes lamb suppliers from New Zealand and the UK, has a database that monitors farm management, animal origin and livestock records.
Meanwhile, in conjunction with AbacusBio (UK), Alliance Group is introducing its Hoofprint programme to selected UK farmers supplying lambs to Marks & Spencer. Hoofprint helps farmers monitor their carbon footprint and improve productivity. The Hoofprint model will be released to all registered Trak suppliers in New Zealand.
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With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
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Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
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