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Co-op Business NZ chief executive Roz Henry.
OPINION: Think co-operatives and some of our biggest agribusiness companies – Fonterra, Zespri, Alliance Group, Silver Fern Farms, Farmlands, LIC, Ballance, Ravensdown and Tatua – come to mind.
Owned by farmers and growers, they drive the economy, by earning the country billions of dollars exporting quality products and by providing services and raw materials behind the farmgate.
In export markets around the globe, these co-operatives carry for the torch for New Zealand’s clean green credentials and their quality consumer products and ingredients are much sought after.
But sadly, these co-operatives aren’t getting the recognition they deserve at home, thanks to a lack of understanding of the co-operative model by politicians and policymakers. There are also misconceptions about the business model that fundamentally goes back to a lack of education about co-ops.
Two years ago, research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), to showcase the scale of the co-op business community, produced shocking results. Individuals who should know, or need to know, have limited knowledge about the co-op model.
The umbrella body for co-operatives, Cooperative Business NZ (CBNZ), has its work cut out.
As CBNZ chief executive Roz Henry says, this is something that she’s constantly amazed at and working to resolve.
CBNZ hosts multiple engagements with the various political parties and ministries and spends much of its time building an understanding of the co-op business model and co-operative businesses themselves to change their underlying misconceptions.
Henry admits this is required before they can even start to consider the opportunities they present.
Tackling the myths around co-operatives is also a priority for CBNZ.
One myth that needs to be tackled is that the business model is “out of date or non-mainstream”. When one looks at enduring brands like Anchor and Tatua, it quickly becomes apparent this is not the case. They are two of our most successful.
NZ remains one of the most co-operative economies in the world. The stats are staggering: our co-operatives continue to be showcased in the Top 300 World Co-op Monitor, including Fonterra, Zespri, Foodstuffs North Island, Foodstuffs South Island, Alliance Group, Silver Fern Farms and Farmlands.
OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of Fonterra's nutrient management programme, and sat on the board of Export NZ, a division of lobbyist group Business New Zealand, doesn't understand that local butter (and milk and cheese) prices are set by the international commodity price.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
Herd improvement company LIC has ended the 2024-25 financial year in a strong position - debt-free and almost quadrupling its net profit.
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
Farmers are welcoming new Government proposals to make farm health and safety rules more practical and grounded in real-world farming.
Missing fresh mozzarella cheese made at home in Bari, southern Italy, Massimo Lubisco and his wife Marina decided to bring a taste of home to New Zealand.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
Irish meat processor Dawn Meats is set to acquire a 70% stake in Alliance Group, according to a report in The Irish Times.
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