NZFGC Conference 2011
An article in FMCG Magazine about the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council’s annual conference said:
“A report produced for the Ministry of Economic Development by Coriolis Research was the standout feature of the 2011 New Zealand Food and Grocery Council conference held in Wellington at the beginning of November. As evidence that the food production sector has a bright future it was a breath of fresh air for delegates, and for those who see export business opportunities for food processing it added weight to recent advances such as the Food Bowl production development facility in Manukau.
While for many the conference highlight was a rare opportunity to dine in the banquet hall at Parliament’s Beehive, complete with entertainment by the Topp Twins, it was the intensive data rich compilation of the Coriolis report that stood out as the salient feature of the conference. While the report is available online to all who are interested in reading it in full, its presentation was revelatory for many as it dispelled a number of myths about the food export sector that have hampered its development in the past.
One of these was the claim that New Zealand is isolated from its markets. While the report was commissioned to understand the drivers of the growth and success of processed food exports to Australia, it made clear that the enormous potential of other Asian and Pacific markets was well within our neighbourhood. It also compared New Zealand with real competitors and similar sized nations, rather than with the giants of China, Japan and the United States. By matching New Zealand’s performance with nations such as Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and Austria, the real advantages of our food business were enhanced.
With data showing that exports of food to Australia have been growing at double digit rates to a current level of NZ$2 billion a year, with half in high value processed foods, the report stimulated a lot of discussion amongst delegates. Some even questioned whether the food industry was getting the level of recognition from government that was commensurate with a sector that shows food is the biggest lever in the New Zealand economy…
… the Coriolis research was the most talked about presentation at the conference.”