Less hot air?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently turned the first sod at Silver Fern Farms' Beflast (Christchurch) meat works for a project slated as a major step in the company's ambition to become coal-free by 2030.
Once renowned as the bastion of dour, gruff, stern and stubborn types - like Robbie Burnside, Jim Pringle, Stewart Barnett and Keith Cooper - a changing of the guard has seen it embrace trends like 'sustainability', 'net carbon zero' and 'regen ag'.
Many of SFF's new executives have come from outside the meat industry, with current boss Simon Limmer bringing a number of his former Zespri colleagues into the fold.
Many of SFF's old guard would be rolling their eyes - and some in their graves - at these changes
It will be interesting to see how things go if meat returns start turning south or the industry hits tough times again and if the new-look 'fruity' SFF still remains a hit with suppliers and shareholders.
