increase font size
SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton.
In the short time Silver Fern Farms (SFF) has so far spent with its soon-to-be joint partner Shanghai Maling, the Chinese firm has begun ordering product made and packaged in NZ for sending shelf-ready to China.
SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton told a recent China Business Summit that Shanghai Maling's investment of $360m in Silver Fern Farms (subject to Overseas Investment Office approval) in return for 50% ownership is a game-changer in a complex market.
"The growing middle class, if they can afford it, will buy imported safe food," he says.
"We aren't about to build a plant in Uruguay or China; they want this product 100% made in NZ. This is a tremendous outcome of this investment in terms of economic development and employment falling into [the NZ] market.
"We're excited that retail-ready [product] packaged in this market will be a significant growth area for us."
Hamilton says Shanghai Maling can bring some real value to the company on several fronts, including access to an inland customer clearance business, which allows them to bypass the port clearance system; and the company knows how to handle chilled product and understands the supply chain.
"Between themselves and Bright they have over 6000 supermarkets. So in trying to get product into a complex part of the end market, there is opportunity to leverage those supermarkets to
put us in a unique position."
"They have a direct-to-home business operating now," Hamilton concluded.
One of the country's leading experts on China has praised the NZ Government for its handling of the recent incident with China over that country's cyber attack on two of our parliamentary institutions in 2021.
Hopes of NZ sheepmeat prices picking up anytime soon in the country's key export market of China looks highly unlikely.
Zespri has unveiled the award-winning KiwiBrothersTM mascots in China for the first time to market its large kiwifruit crop.
Authorities in China have clamped down on companies in that country which have been packaging and selling their own local fruit under the Zespri brand.
Meat processor and exporter Silver Fern Farms Ltd has joined fellow South Island-based meat company Alliance Group in reporting a big loss for the past year.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
World Veterinary Day falls on Saturday 27 April.
Graham Brown, the executive chef for Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ), is excited about Korea.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…
