7 Nov  -  Back from New York, patisserie chef Hilary Wroe recently shared her experience of working at top-end Manhattan restaurants with trainee chefs at EIT.  Hilary, who grew up in Waipukurau, was happily embracing Hawke’s Bay’s more relaxed vibe after her hectic year in the Big Apple.

For six months she worked at The Musket Room, a restaurant owned by New Zealander Matt Lambert. Her second six-month stint was at Le Coucou, a French fine dining establishment catering for around 200 guests a night.After just a fortnight back in the country, Hilary was weighing up offers for jobs in New Zealand and overseas. That, she said, was a measure of the demand for well-qualified patisserie chefs. It also reflected the experience she had gained in working for leading restaurants in the USA.

“There will always be a job for me at Le Coucou working for Daniel Skurnick. I’ve also been offered positions in two restaurants in Paris.”  After leaving Central Hawke’s Bay College, Hilary completed EIT’s Diploma in Professional Culinary Practice in 2013. That year, she was among the top achievers recognised at the Greenmeadows Rotary and EIT Hawke’s Bay Apprentice Awards.

Patisserie was part of her EIT programme, but because the institution didn’t offer a qualification then that specifically focused on developing those skills, she undertook further studies in Auckland.Now, up-and-coming chefs wanting to specialise in patisserie can study EIT’s advanced diploma programme.

Hilary is enthusiastic about her time at EIT and keeps in touch with her former tutors through Facebook.  “If it weren’t for EIT I wouldn’t be where I am today. EIT is great, it’s a good foundation for getting a job.“I’ve enjoyed progressing to patisserie because it calls for a wide range of skills. There are so many facets. You can do bread-making, desserts, candy, chocolates and plated desserts in restaurants.” With the expiry of her one-year visa to the States, Hilary is now considering her next move.

“Ideally, I would probably want to work in a particular Auckland restaurant,” she said. “Otherwise I might go to England and do a stint. There are lots of options. But right now I’m taking a well-deserved break – until I get bored and want a job.”

Nov 7, 2017  -   A Carterton business which produces a third of the country’s bacon could bring more jobs to the region after it undergoes a development worth more than $10 million. The expansion of the Premier Beehive factory is scheduled to be completed in November next year.  Managing director Dene McKay has worked with Premier Beehive for nine years but has not seen anything like the upgrade that is planned for the factory on Moreton Rd.

“We’ve outgrown the space that we have in regards to the footprint and capability.”

The planned development was a “big investment” and would take just over a year, he said.

“We have no plans to go anywhere else, we are committed to our staff in the area.”

It naturally follows on from the “rapid growth” the company had seen over the past six or so years.

In that period business had doubled and it was “timely” to now expand the facilities.

The company has a turnover of more than $100 million and was forecasted to sell more than 13,000 tonnes of product this year.

Premier Beehive exports a small amount of products to Hong Kong, with the vast majority of ham hocks and streaky bacon strips feeding the hungry domestic market.

“Our streaky bacon is the number one selling bacon in the country,” Mr McKay said.

The company’s shaved ham products were also market-leading products, he said.

“Our bacon share, at the moment, is about 34 per cent of the market and our prepacked ham share is about 37 per cent of the market.”

Over a year ago, the company invested in some sausage manufacturing equipment and the planned expansion would assist in growing that category, he said.

During the lead up to Christmas there would be more than 300 employees in the factory.

Mr McKay said he was proud of the company’s progress and that it echoed the efforts of the staff.

“The effort that’s gone into the production of these products is reflected in our position in the marketplace.”

Carterton Mayor John Booth has been one of the main port of calls during the resource consent process.

“Some of the machinery is outside and there has been a bit of noise attached to it,” he said.

“They have made a really conscious effort in their building programme to house a lot of that machinery inside.

“It just shows you it’s a responsible business.”

It was good to have a business like that expanding because it showed confidence in the district, Mr Booth said.

“They are buying into what Carterton is and the progressive way we approach things.”

It would add to the positive feeling in the district at the moment, he said.

The business started life as a family-owned pig processing company in 1991.

The Reid family sold their business on in a move that would create the Premier Beehive brand.

It has changed hands twice since, and is now owned by global brand JBS Australia.

| A Wairarapa TimesAge release || November 6,  2017   |||

7 Nov  -  When it comes to designing a washdown-friendly facility, it really starts before a company even begins to build the factory.  That’s according to Elis Owens, director of technical services at Birko, which offers integrated food safety solutions provided by highly trained and experienced professionals.  The company should ask itself if the actual structure of the facility has been designed in such a way that will make it amenable to effective cleaning, and if the equipment has been designed and built following the principles of sanitary design, he explains.

“It should be designed in a way that can be easily cleaned and with materials that are compatible with common cleaning chemicals,” he says. “The way the equipment is put together into the various production lines and the way those production lines are put into the facility [are important].”

So, for example, making sure there is enough space all the way around the equipment for people to access it for cleaning, including catwalks for cleaning in high areas and making sure the floors in the facility are sloped toward the drains and that the equipment is not installed over the top of the drains, all come into play.

“There’s a whole host of factors that need to be taken into consideration,” Owens says, “foot traffic, product flow, forklifts’ movement around the facility.”

Scott L. Burnett, director of food safety and quality, global food and beverage at Ecolab, says factories should include procedures and structures for hygienic zoning, which complement their food safety plan. The use of hygienic zoning creates a “tortuous path” to reduce the risks of food safety hazards entering the product stream by protecting the critical processing areas.

Continue here to read the full article on FoodEngineering ||  November 7,  2017   |||

6 Nov  -  A New Zealand insurance underwriting agency is providing an exclusive cover for manufacturers which are facing major challenges in relation to recall of contaminated food and beverage products. About 40 manufactured food products have been recalled so far this year, up from 25 for all of last year, Delta Insurance casualty manager Dinesh Murali says. Delta Insurance is a New Zealand based insurance provider and has an office in Singapore. They provide a range of specialty commercial insurance products. The New Zealand manufacturing sector is experiencing strong growth and is a standout on the international stage. Annual merchandise exports from New Zealand are almost $49 billion, according to Statistics NZ. Murali says manufacturing for the construction industry has grown by 9.5 percent while meat and dairy has jumped by 8.36 percent in the last year. “Our New Zealand climate and abundant natural resources make food manufacturing a good strategic choice. We have a particular strength in food manufacturing, but we have also seen growth across non-food manufacturing as well. “Across all manufacturing segments we regularly outsource manufacturing processes and source components from overseas suppliers and this supports an efficient global supply chain. More competition means increased innovation and creating products in new and more efficient ways. But this also poses new challenges and risks in relation to quality control. “Outside the food sector, we are also seeing a major trend where manufacturers are embedding technology into items such as equipment and machinery with these products becoming connected to the “internet of things. This gives rise to risks such as cyber security which was not previously a concern for these items. “Given the increased and evolving risks, Delta is providing manufacturing-risk cover for Kiwi companies which we believe is the most comprehensive coverage solution in New Zealand. “This cover under one umbrella targets both food and non-food manufacturers and insures a range of manufacturing-specific risks including coverage for product recall due to product defects and food contamination, cover for pollution arising from manufacturing process and crisis management cover. It can also be packaged with other coverages such as cyber liability. “If Kiwi manufacturers choose not to take this cover then they run the risk of potential losses being uninsured which would affect their balance sheet and could, in a worse-case scenario, result in the financial ruin of their business. “Beyond the direct financial impact, they could also suffer significant reputational damage if they do not have the resources and expertise to be able to manage some of these critical issues, such as product recall of contaminated products,” Murali says. For further information contact Delta Insurance’s casualty manager Dinesh Murali on 027 7007951 or Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188.

A Delta Insurance release  || November 6,  2017   |||

Nestlé has today set a goal to source only eggs from cage-free hens for all its food products globally by 2025. This includes all shell eggs and egg products directly sourced as ingredients by Nestlé.

In Europe and the U.S., Nestlé will make the transition by the end of 2020. For the rest of the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania it will happen by 2025, with the move in Asia to be completed in the same transition period, as conditions allow.

In some parts of the world, such as in Europe, over 40% of eggs used by Nestlé are already from cage-free sources.

Nestlé’s purpose is to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future. This includes ensuring decent welfare standards for animals that are reared for the ingredients used in its products.

| A Nestlé release  ||  November 3,  2017   |||

1 Nov -  Suntory Beverage & Food (SBF) has entered into an agreement to sell its Cerebos Food & Instant Coffee business in Australia and New Zealand and its Asian Home Gourmet Singapore business to US giant The Kraft Heinz Company for a total of AU$290 million.  Cerebos’s Food & Instant Coffee business includes iconic food brands in Australia and New Zealand such as Fountain, Gravox, Saxa, Foster Clark’s, Gregg’s, Bisto, Raro and Asian Home Gourmet. These cover a range of products including sauces, gravies, herbs and spices, salt, condiments, Asian sauces, desserts and cooking ingredients.

However, SBF will retain its Cerebos Fresh Coffee business in Australia/New Zealand led by Terry Svenson, CEO of Cerebos Australia and New Zealand. The new business unit, called ‘Suntory Coffee’, will target the rapidly growing global fresh coffee market.

Although Svenson stated that the manufacturing efficiency of the Food & Instant Coffee business has significantly progressed in 2017, he explained the reasons behind the decision to sell it.

“Food & Instant Coffee is not a core focus category for SBF and we believe this business can be maximised under different ownership. The Food & Instant Coffee business will now have opportunities to leverage Kraft Heinz’s operations to grow the business further,” he said. “In the meantime, the transaction also enables our Fresh Coffee business to benefit from SBF’s continued investment and focus on its beverage portfolio, so we can capitalise on our market-leading positions to maximise growth opportunities.”

The acquisition of Cerebos Food & Instant Coffee marks Kraft Heinz’s aim to expand its already well-established platform in Australia and New Zealand. As the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world, it possesses several well-known brands including Heinz, Kraft, Wattie’s, Eta and Golden Circle, which sell beans and spaghetti, sauces, soups and dressings.

Bruno Lino, CEO of Kraft Heinz Australia and New Zealand, said: “The transaction provides an exciting opportunity for Kraft Heinz to expand its portfolio into complementary categories, stretching the footprint of Cerebos’s brands into new categories and markets.

“In addition to the iconic local brands, Cerebos has a strong team that will play an important role in our future growth. This transaction reinforces our commitment and long-term plan to the Australia and New Zealand markets in addition to our significant investment in the Kraft brand for 2018. We will continue investing in our brands, factories and our employees to meet consumer needs and expectations,” he said.

The combined businesses will be led by Lino. The sale is expected to be completed in early 2018, subject to regulatory approval.

Read more: http://foodprocessing.com.au/content/business-solutions/news/kraft-heinz-acquires-cerebos-anz-assets-for-290-million-573165650#ixzz4x8dwzT8S

|A FoodProcessing release  ||  November 1,  2017   |||

Beckie wilson writes in the  Wairarapa Times Age about a family meat processing company that has created a niche for meat products away from the larger red meat exporters and has hit the nail on the head. The Everton family don’t want to be “lumbered in the same box” as other red meat providers.

They pride themselves on the integrated process of owning the meat all the way from the paddock to the plate.

Cabernet Foods Ltd and the processing plant Kintyre Meats has been working out of rural Carterton for the past 17 years.

Lyndon Everton, the managing director and in charge of processing, works in the Wairarapa office on Gladstone Rd.

The family company recently won the chilled/short shelf life award for their Everton Dry Aged Beef at the NZ Food Awards.

Mr Everton said it was great to be recognised for the smaller meat exporter that they are.

“The red meat sector is very challenging when it comes to the larger exporters which overshadows smaller exporters like us,” Mr Everton said.

“We don’t want to be regarded as just meat, we have got responsibilities behind our name and brand, whether it be an animal welfare aspect, or environment sustainability aspect.”

They were approached by a food technologist three years ago to develop the speciality product, which they carried on into the commercial and retail stages.

Continue here to read the full article  ||  October 26,  2017   |||

26 Oct:  New dairy nutrition innovator, manufacturer and exporter Winston Nutritional formally enters the New Zealand market today with its sponsorship of the Infant Nutrition Council’s Feeding the Future Conference in Auckland.

Winston Nutritional will present to potential suppliers, partners, local and national government agencies and market participants about its product suite, its state-of-the-art technology, its vision for the New Zealand nutrition market and the company’s role in advancing the industry’s innovative capability.

Winston Nutritional General Manager Leon Fung, who was previously Deputy General Manager at Yashili NZ Dairy Company and directed the development of their Pokeno plant, said the company sponsorship of the conference signals that the new operation is open for business.

"Our investment in the modernisation of the manufacturing facilities at our Mt Wellington site has been substantial, as is our investment in our people," says Mr Fung. "We have state-of-the-art technology capable of processing and packaging 20,000 metric tonnes a year but without the best people in place you can’t hope to be the best and we want to be better than our peers," he says.

"We have experienced technical experts in research and development, who have a strong innovation track record and previously worked at Fonterra and Danone ," Mr Fung says. "Product development and innovation is a core function at Winston Nutritional and will help drive our expansion plans here and overseas."

The company’s research and development will also help drive innovation across the nutritional sector, he says, increasing New Zealand’s capability by raising the bar.

"I am a proud New Zealander producing innovative New Zealand nutritional products for a global audience and I want Winston Nutritional to be at the forefront of our sector as it reaches out to the rest of the world with new products and new ways of doing business," he comments.

To ensure Winston Nutritional can achieve its ambition, the company has a clear strategic vision.

"Our focus is first on quality, then teamwork and workplace culture," Mr Fung explains. "Culture and teamwork are incredibly important if you truly want to produce the highest quality nutritional products in the world and we do."

Winston Nutritional will also be looking at partnership opportunities at the Feeding the Future Conference and Mr Fung says his company has a lot to offer suppliers, producers and exporters.

"We can certainly help those companies who have a strong China focus and need guidance and assistance to better understand the commercial landscape" he says. "But it’s important to note that we have a wider market focus than just China - Winston Nutritional will be an exporter to the world."

Mr Fung says the company will be making further significant investments in the nutritional sector and there will be an announcement about additional development soon.

| Winston Nutritional release  ||  October 26,  2017   |||

DUBAI, 24th October, 2017 (WAM) -- Dubai Exports, the export promotion agency of Dubai Economy, in partnership with the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, DIEDC, conducted the first-ever Islamic Economy trade mission to New Zealand, comprising business leaders and government officials, who sought to strengthen the emirate’s position in the global trade for Sharia compliant products and services.

With a low population and a food-export-driven economy, New Zealand is viewed as a major market and potential partner in channeling trade through Dubai. The red meat industry is one of New Zealand’s major export earners bringing in more than AED15 billion annually. This accounts for 15 percent of New Zealand’s total export revenue, and 27 percent of New Zealand’s primary sector export revenue. In addition, New Zealand exports over AED3 billion worth of skins and hides from sheep and cattle, mainly to be used in the fashion industry.

New Zealand is also a major dairy exporter with the sector contributing more than AED20 billion, or 3.5 percent to the country’s total gross domestic product. As an island nation, the aquaculture industry plays an important role, and seafood trade contributes nearly AED4 billion to the economy.

The trade mission focused on broader areas of the Islamic Economy in New Zealand and the UAE Embassy hosted an exhibition of Emirati art works, the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Saleh Al Suwaidi , the UAE Ambassador in Wellington, said, "The UAE has a natural fit with New Zealand in terms of trade, particularly since the UAE has only one percent arable land and imports a large quantity of red meat and dairy from New Zealand. Connecting with New Zealand allows the UAE to strengthen its hub-to-hub strategy of linking producer and consumer countries via the emirates."

The mission hosted an important forum in association with the New Zealand Middle East Business Council. Todd McClay, the New Zealand Minister of Trade, addressed the forum and referred to the long and friendly relations between the states, as well as the growing Islamic consumer market. He emphasised the Halal sector as a potential area to enhance bilateral trade.

Abdulla Al Awar, CEO of DIEDC, said, "Today, food and beverage accounts for a little over a third of the Halal market and the real growth areas are in lifestyles and technology. New Zealand is ideally placed to allow for synergy in these growing areas."

Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, Deputy CEO of Dubai Exports, said that the Halal trade is set to grow further and mark a significant shift in the immediate future away from being a niche market segment to become mainstream. "We are already seeing signs of this as non-Muslim consumers are purchasing Halal products and services due to its natural and wholesome nature. In the financial services sector we have seen that a large proportion of the customers of Islamic banks are actually non-Muslim and this trend will continue into other business areas."

| A Emirates News Agency release  ||  October 25,  2017   2017   |||

Vegetable prices have risen a record 31 per cent in the past year, according to Statistics New Zealand.  The unusually wet weather this year has damaged crops and is responsible for most of the price hike.

With vast areas of horticultural production land in the region, under threat from urban development, this means that the region will not be able to supply the horticultural production that the population of the area uses currently, from within the region, and this can only mean severe increases in the prices of fruit and vegetables.

Many people are already finding it difficult to provide good nutritious food for themselves and their families and with the effects of the restrictions on land use this is only going to get much worse, both in relation to supply, availability of types and price of fruit and vegetables.

The restrictions on commercial horticultural use of land, contained within the Plan Change, have been put into effect due to the supposed effects on the environment from the commercial horticultural industries.

So with the land use restrictions already imposed in the Proposed Plan Change, the Waikato Regional Council is now going to export the supposed environmental problems to areas outside of their region.

Source:  Voxy  ||  October 18,  2017   |||