PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Use
20 February 2008
Door Opened To Consolidation Of Meat Industry
Alliance Group Ltd might have finally opened the door to consolidation of the meat industry but it is undoubtedly PPCS
that has been ringing the doorbell for the past few months.
Forbes Elworthy, founder of the Natural Producers Company, said that while Alliance was currently providing strong
leadership, he would like to acknowledge that it was PPCS, and its Chairman Reese Hart, who first publicly confirmed
that the Dunedin-based co-operative was open to a merger.
“It takes courage for the leaders of an organisation to offer to merge as they put their own jobs at risk for the
betterment of the industry.
“The directors of both Alliance and PPCS should be congratulated for at long last planning a date at the altar.”
Mr Elworthy said that Mr Hart, in particular, advocated a merger long before Alliance hatched its “large single-entity
initiative.”
“I’m impressed by the leadership that Reese Hart has provided and I believe he will work hard during upcoming
negotiations to preserve farmer control of our downstream value chain.”
Ends…