Scales keeps loss in balance
Scales Corp has recorded a 43.5% fall in underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) for the six months ending June 30.
New Zealand's largest apple exporter Mr Apple has bought a 50% shareholding in apple exporter Fern Ridge Produce.
Fern Ridge Produce executive chairman Sam Newbigin says the investment will see the two companies working collaboratively in the international market.
"We will continue to export under our own brands as two separate entities but will not compete for the same business," Newbigin says. "Together we will increase our focus on current key customers and strategically approach new markets to ensure we obtain the maximum return and coverage from the fruit supplied."
Both companies are strongly positioned to capture existing and future market potential, particularly in Asia where there are new opportunities and growing demand for New Zealand apple varieties, he says.
Fern Ridge Produce managing director Hamish Davis says growers have been asking for more consolidation of apple exporters to help maximise returns from the market. "This is the ultimate solution. We are two strong brands running different business models who can now collaboratively use each other's strengths," Davis says. "By working independently we aim to maximise returns to growers and benchmark each company's performance throughout the apple season."
Mr Apple general manager Andrew Van Workum says negotiations had taken more than six months to work through with a very positive outcome for both companies.
"This is a significant investment by the owners of Mr Apple. It shows our confidence that through this collaboration we believe we will see better prices returned to the grower suppliers of both companies and our own orchards. Mr Apple Directors also believe that apple exporter consolidation and coordination will assist the industry," Van Workham says.
Fern Ridge Produce is part of the Fern Ridge Group. Established in 1995 the group exports meat, seafood, wine and fruit, and employs 20 people based in Hawke's Bay. Fern Ridge Produce has been New Zealand's largest non-grower owned apple exporter.
Mr Apple New Zealand ltd is New Zealand's largest vertically integrated apple grower, packer and exporter, exporting between 3.5 million and 3.8 million cartons per year.
Mr Apple has 53 orchards, three packhouses and a coolstore, providing a logistics service for its own and a number of external growers in the Hawke's Bay and Nelson areas.
The company employs 180 people on a permanent basis and at the peak of the season, employs up to 1700.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
A year on and the problems created by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle has largely dropped off the radar of media and politicians.
Feeling forgotten and in a fragile space financially and mentally.
The European Union Ambassador says the new free trade agreement (FTA) between the bloc and New Zealand will bring significant benefits to both parties.
Less Wellington bureucracy and more local, on-farm common sense was the focus of recent meetings held in South Canterbury as part of the Government's National Woolshed tour program.
OPINION: Readers of this column will know that your old mate has been a long-time critic of $55 million of…
OPINION: The Hound reckons school teachers like nothing better than to complain constantly about how tough things are for them…