E-commerce campaign to boost NZ lamb sales in China

The digital campaign will leverage changes in consumer behaviour in China toward purchasing red meat online and seeking healthier food options in the wake of COVID-19. 

BLNZ’s general manager market development Nick Beeby says the two organisations are co-investing in this initiative to drive the awareness of NZ’s healthy and natural grass-fed lamb, but ultimately to drive sales.

“Our research shows there is a significant opportunity in China for NZ lamb to take centre stage.. 

“We’re also seeing significant growth in online transactions and sales, especially in meat products, partly driven by people being incentivised to buy online during the COVID-19 crisis. We expect this trend to continue as people have experienced the convenience and efficiency of food being delivered right to their door,” he says 

The campaign will be based on China’s two biggest e-commerce platforms, TMall.com and JD.com, and will feature Alliance Group’s Pure South lamb in conjunction with the red meat sector’s Taste Pure Nature country of origin brand.  

“We’ll be leveraging Alliance’s established brand and e-commerce channels within these platforms that provide ready-made audiences of millions of consumers.” 

Beeby says it will also leverage the firepower of specific Chinese influencers to create awareness and drive traffic to the e-commerce channels and also a chance to establish the Taste Pure Nature brand and the New Zealand red meat story in China.

Alliance Group sales manager Shane Kingston says the co-operative has been operating in China for more than 20 years so has strong channels to market. 

“We expect further growth in this segment in the future and to capitalise on the sentiment of Chinese consumers who are seeking to purchase more ‘fresh’ and ‘good for you’ protein’,” he says. 

The campaign will be launched this month with an extended programme expected to run through to the end of the year.