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.
Winning four of the big categories at the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards feels special, says Meyer Cheese general manager Miel Meyer.
Local cheesemakers are being urged to embrace competition from imports but also ensure their products are never invisible in the country.
Ireland's Minister of state for Agriculture says it’s hard to explain to Irish farmers the size and scale of NZ farms.
Dairy farming in New Zealand offers career progression and this has motivated 2026 Central Plateau Share Farmers of the Year Navdeep Singh and Jobanpreet Kaur.
A partnership between Canterbury milk processor Synlait and the world's largest food producer, Nestlé, has been celebrated with a visit to a North Canterbury farm by a group including senior staff from Synlait, the Ravensdown subsidiary EcoPond, and Nestlé's Switzerland head office.
Canterbury milk processor Synlait is blaming what it calls "a perfect storm" of setbacks for a big loss in its half year result for the six months ended January 31, 2026.

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