Meat co-op seeks capital from farmer shareholders
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
Alliance Group has shipped its first big meat consignment in vacuum skin tray packaging to Hong Kong.
Skin packaging hermetically seals right to the edge of a meat cut, extending its chilled shelf life for up to 11 weeks, retaining its colour and optimising tenderness.
The products -- cutlets, saddle chops and chump steaks -- will be jointly marketed under Alliance Group’s Pure South and the Angliss Hong Kong brands and sold in supermarkets, including those owned by the Aeon Stores Group.
Alliance Group general manager marketing Peter Russell says the shipment is believed to be the first New Zealand red meat packed at origin to be supplied in skin packs in Hong Kong.
“This trial and shipment [show the co-op] providing a more sophisticated offering for our customers and capturing more value for farmer shareholders.
“Skin packaging is a good way to display smaller consumer-ready portions. Because of the materials used, skin packaging gives flexibility to package small consumer-ready products in a range of cuts -- chilled, frozen, bone-in and boneless – compared to less-flexible vacuum packaging which is used for larger primal cuts to export wholesale markets.”
Russell says Alliance Group has been working on skin pack technology for the last two years. A team visited Hong Kong last year to discuss marketing opportunities with Angliss, he said.
“The co-op ran a trial shipment last year with Angliss and their customers were pleased with how they presented. They placed a larger order, so we are looking forward to hearing what the response is from the market.
“Our NZ food service team… has other innovations in the pipeline.”
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.