FoodHQ welcomes AsureQuality

Friday, November 22, 2013

FoodHQ welcomes AsureQuality

FoodHQ today announced that AsureQuality has become the newest member of the collaboration. 

FoodHQ, New Zealand’s international centre for collaborative food research, generates value for the global food industry through innovation across the food value chain.

“AsureQuality has approximately 60 people based in Palmerston North and is pleased to have become a full member of FoodHQ and looks forward to collaborating with cluster partners,” says Michael Thomas, AsureQuality chief executive. “Bringing together the rich talent and capability of FoodHQ partners will help grow the value of New Zealand’s primary production and food sectors ultimately improving New Zealand’s economic prosperity.”

AsureQuality, a state owned enterprise (SOE), is a quality assurance company that serves New Zealand’s primary industries. Food assurance and food safety are key components of the work carried out by the FoodHQ partners.

“Having AsureQuality as a member and on the Board is a great opportunity for FoodHQ,” says Steve Maharey, Massey University Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of the FoodHQ Board. “AsureQuality completes the food value chain. FoodHQ is strongly focused on supporting the development of innovative foods for export and AsureQuality is focused on certifying and verifying the quality and safety of New Zealand’s primary products – in particular for the export market.”

The research and innovation members of the FoodHQ family are located within a one kilometre radius in Palmerston North’s Fitzherbert Science Park and Massey University’s Manawatū campus. A world centre for agri-food innovation, FoodHQ researchers connect and collaborate and have the resources and leadership to build and maintain international links, recruit and retain top talent, responsibly manage New Zealand’s resources for a sustainable future and serve the international food industry.

“AsureQuality has a proud heritage of supporting our customers to ensure that food and other products are safe and meet specifications set by countries or other standard setting bodies. This helps our customers to achieve market access to their chosen markets, gain competitive advantage and protect their products, brands and reputation,” says Mr Thomas. “Leveraging the hub’s collective resource to achieve greater innovation through science is a very exciting prospect and something AsureQuality is proud to be part of.”  

Poised to deliver on the Government’s Business Growth Agenda, which calls for a trebling of the real value of food exports in the next 12 years, FoodHQ was officially opened on July 29 at Massey University’s Manawatū campus by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce. The first stage of FoodHQ, Food Innovation New Zealand, was launched in August 2009 by Prime Minister John Key. 

FoodHQ’s 20-year strategic plan outlines how the organisations will collectively play a key role in the global food community and how it will further unify established research organisations AgResearch, AsureQuality, Fonterra, Massey University, Plant & Food Research, the Riddet Institute and BCC. It is actively supported by the Manawatū District and Palmerston North City Councils.

ENDS

© Scoop Media