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Kiwi food stars in Chinese trade exhibition

Published: Tue 20 Nov 2007 10:15 AM
20 November 2007 Media Statement
Kiwi food products stars in Chinese trade exhibition
Economic Development Minister Pete Hodgson welcomed the success of Food Hotel China, held in Shanghai 14 -16 November.
Food Hotel China was the first of three key events organised by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) under the Food and Beverage Taskforce. It attracted 18 New Zealand companies who participated in the NZTE pavilion and provided them with an opportunity to showcase some of their top food and beverage products, including those from the wine, horticulture, dairy, meat and seafood sectors.
Foodex in Japan (March 2008) and the National Restaurants’ Association Show in Chicago (May 2008) are the two further events scheduled by the Taskforce.
Feedback from companies who attended FHC has been extremely positive.
“Food Hotel China provided exhibitors with a unique platform to showcase their products and the right audiences to pitch them to. In an environment where it is difficult to stand out the New Zealand pavilion created a true presence and made a great impact,” said Pete Hodgson.
Highlights of the event included cooking demonstrations using New Zealand products by celebrity chef, Ray McVinnie, performances by the Pounamu Performing Arts Group, a host of networking opportunities, and exceptional coverage of New Zealand products and involvement in FHC in the region’s media.
New Zealand’s high-value food and beverage exports received a major boost under the Government’s work programme for partnering with industry in July. The Minister for Economic Development announced that $19 million of additional funding over the next four years was to be dedicated to expand in-market assistance for New Zealand food and beverage firms.
Lead by NZTE, the Food and Beverage Taskforce will use this funding to help New Zealand’s food and beverage exporters overcome some fundamental challenges including the small size of New Zealand firms, the cost of establishing new branded products in international markets and New Zealand’s distance from markets.
Editor’s Notes:
New Zealand’s high-value food and beverage exports received a major boost under the Government’s work programme for partnering with industry announced by the Minister for Economic Development on 10 July.
One of the key projects to help grow New Zealand’s food and beverage exports, as outlined in the Government’s response to the Food and Beverage Taskforce, is $19 million of additional funding over four years to expand in-market assistance for New Zealand food and beverage firms.
Lead by NZTE the project will, over the next four years, help New Zealand’s food and beverage exporters to overcome several fundamental challenges – including the small size of New Zealand firms, the cost of establishing new branded products in international markets and the cost of overcoming New Zealand’s distance from markets (a growing international issue as “food miles” concerns are highlighted by media and the public).
The project will also help to develop industry capability and improve exposure in offshore markets by a variety of means.
In the first year NZTE will support the development of New Zealand’s food & beverage profile in key growth markets through participation in three trade shows – Food & Hotel China in Shanghai (November 2007), Foodex in Japan (March 2008) and the National Restaurants’ Association Show (May 2008).
Complementing this will be the development of a specialist food and beverage presence in the Shanghai Focus centre. Also under the Taskforce implementation $6.5m has been dedicated to support the Aquaculture industry’s development over the next four years (link to http://www.aquaculture.govt.nz).
At the launch of the programme at Villa Maria Winery Trevor Mallard highlighted the importance of the food and beverage sector in New Zealand’s economic performance.
“Half of New Zealand’s exports are food-related and the sector employs one-in five people.”
He went on to say that the strength of the sector provided a platform for the development of a range of associated high-value industries and using existing strengths and capabilities to move into these high-value but related areas of export activity would deliver higher wages and standard of living.
ENDS

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