KiwiBrothersTM make their China debut
Zespri has unveiled the award-winning KiwiBrothersTM mascots in China for the first time to market its large kiwifruit crop.
Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson will leave the grower-owned company later this year.
He takes up a new position as president of the Americas for global berry company Driscoll’s.
Mathieson has been at Zespri for 21 years, almost seven of those as CEO and will remain at Zespri to oversee the 2024 harvest and start of the sales season and until a new CEO is appointed, with the industry poised to deliver one of its largest-ever crops to meet growing demand for Zespri Kiwifruit around the world.
Zespri chairman Bruce Cameron says Mathieson leaves as a world-class CEO who has helped turn Zespri into a leading sales and marketing company and with the industry well positioned to continue to succeed.
“Under Dan’s exceptional leadership Zespri grew sales from almost $2.3 billion in 2016/17 to a peak just over $4 billion in 2021/22 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, with that growth set to continue in the coming years.
“Through that time he demonstrated his ability to bring talented people together, to set and execute strategy and ultimately to deliver great outcomes for the industry.”
Mathieson says it was a difficult decision to leave but does so confident the industry is well positioned, while also excited by the personal challenge ahead.
“I’m so passionate about this industry. It’s filled with incredible, deeply committed people providing a world-class product and its future is so bright.”
Another 16 commercial beef farmers have been selected to take part in the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme designed to help drive the uptake of genetics in the industry.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Kiwi exporters will be $100 million better off today as the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into force.
Making things simpler, not harder, for deer farmers in farm planning and coping with regulations is Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) industry capability manager John Ladley’s current focus.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is launching an online business directory called The Country Women’s Collective to promote and support entrepreneurial rural women.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill has joined the Campaign for Wool NZ as an ambassador, lending his name and profile to educate and advocate for New Zealand strong wool.
Living labs that bring together expertise at locations around New Zealand are among potential solutions identified by researchers to help the country move towards a more climate resilient future.
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