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Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper says a decision by leading UK supermarket Tesco to replace SFF-branded lamb with a co-branded house product "has a significant upside."
"This is a change from supplying under our own branded packaging in a select group of TESCO stores to supplying a new TESCO branded healthy eating, extra lean range in a greater number of TESCO stores.
"We wouldn't be in this enviable position if we hadn't progressed our strategy around new cuts and the branding which promoted them – it's a significant upside for us."
Tesco's move reflects a shift in corporate strategy to focus on own label protein products, including red meat.
"Knowing where your food comes from is essential and we all felt telling this provenance story in partnership with Silver Fern Farms was important in ensuring customers have confidence around the source of these premium lamb cuts," says Tesco buying manager Adele Davenall-Gabain.
"We expect this strategy to see significantly increased volumes of premium quality lamb available to our customers through this partnership."
Cooper welcomes that potential to lift supply.
"Our strategy of moving how we market meat from large cuts - like heavy legs, sides and whole carcases - to modern consumer cuts has been tested since we launched in 2011 and this deal has seen that strategy picked up at scale."
Silver Fern Farms says market research shows its lamb has found favour with consumers for being 'naturally lean', 'pre-portioned', 'well packaged' and having 'no plate waste'. According to one consumer: "it's a healthy alternative to 'standard' lamb. We've had it twice in 6 weeks with no feeling of guilt or close monitoring of everything else eaten the week before and week after."Silver Fern Farms branded range of pre-packed premium restaurant-quality lamb cuts was launched into a select group of TESCO stores across the United Kingdom in October 2011.
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