40,000 meals donated as NZFN marks fifth anniversary
The New Zealand Food Network's (NZFN) fifth birthday celebrations have been boosted by a whopping five tonne meat donation from meat processor ANZCO.
Meat processor ANZCO Foods made an annual pre-tax profit of $17m last year, a 21% lift on the previous year.
Meat processor ANZCO Foods made an annual pre-tax profit of $17m last year, a 21% lift on the previous year.
The total revenue in 2016 ($1.45 billion) was slightly lower than 2015 ($1.54b) mainly as a result of foreign currency exchange rate movements.
The solid business performance was pleasing, especially given the ongoing challenges of the wider red meat industry, says managing director Mark Clarkson.
As well as its beef and lamb processing business, ANZCO has a number of innovative value-add operations and Clarkson said it was pleasing that the positive performance had occurred across both parts of the business.
In addition, a focus on working closely with majority shareholder Itoham contributed to ANZCO’s solid performance.
“Growth in the Japanese market, including grain-fed beef and manufactured food products were key areas of gain,” says chairman Graeme Harrison.
The company’s commitment and focus on health & safety delivered a substantial reduction in injury rates in the 2016 year. The company will continue to focus on this important area in 2017.
“ANZCO invested more than $23m during the year enhancing processing capability at the Rangitikei and Canterbury sites to meet customer requirements, along with a growing commitment to value-add business activities, including a significant increase in Angel Bay manufacturing capacity at ANZCO Green Island,” says Harrison.
“In addition, the company purchased the remaining 50% of its Melbourne-based blood protein and serum business, Bovogen that had been a joint venture since 2013.”
ANZCO will continue its substantial investment in enhancing capabilities in 2017.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.

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