SFF deal 'a game changer'

The can bring some real value to the company on a number of fronts, he told a China Business Summit in Auckland today. They are 38% owned by Bright Food, one of the largest food conglomerates in China.

"We visited an enormous inland customs clearance business in the middle of Shanghai which is very exciting for us in terms of our ability to bypass the port clearance system so we think that will give us a quite exciting opportunity," Hamilton said.

"Secondly Shanghai Maling have the largest fresh pork distribution business in Shanghai so they know how to handle chilled product, they have their own trucks. So in terms of partnering with someone who understands that part of the supply chain, we believe that has got great opportunity.

"Thirdly between themselves and Bright they have over 6000 supermarkets. So trying to get in into a very complex part of the end market, the opportunity to leverage those supermarket will put us in a unique position."

Fourthly they have a direct to home business now, he said.