Facing NZ’s logistics nightmare

Aug 19, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

The New Zealand economy has been built on the export of food, kicked off in a big way by the first successful shipment of frozen meat on the ‘Dunedin’ to Great Britain from Totara, in Otago, in 1882. Of course, there was exporting before that, with the first trades...

Skills needed to keep FMCG industry moving

Jul 12, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

Few New Zealanders do not know the Maori proverb “What is the most important thing in the world, it is the people, the people, the people / He aha te mea nui o te ao, he tangata he tangata he tangata. It’s true when things are going well, and it’s particularly true...

Getting compostability right

Jun 14, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

Ensuring accurate claims on product labels is critical to any business, and the laws are clear.  Get it wrong or make a false claim and the result could be disastrous. It could lead to customers buying elsewhere, possibly leading to the demise of the product or even...

Teamwork behind all that FGC does

Jun 3, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

There is no doubt the main reason the food and grocery sector was able to ensure New Zealanders were able to get through the COVID-19 lockdowns of the past 12 months or so with very little disruption to vital supplies was due to teamwork. That is, teamwork both inside...

Big changes on the horizon

Apr 19, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

The role of an effective industry association is to advocate for its members in a strong and positive way. To achieve this, a clear strategy should be developed. The Food & Grocery Council’s strategy for its 300-plus members has three key planks to it: being a...

Big issues galore in early months of year

Mar 30, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

There has been a lot going on in the grocery sector in the first months of the year, and here are the five big ones. FMCG Internship Programme This helps bring new talent into all parts of our industry, from suppliers to supermarkets. It’s backed by the Food &...

Trade in the Year of the Ox

Mar 19, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

I’m running a bit late with Chinese New Year good wishes, but 新年快乐 / 新年快樂 (Xīnnián kuàilè) to all members of the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council and readers of FMCG Business of Chinese descent. I hope the Year of the Ox is a fortunate one for all parts of our...

Another year of challenge and change

Feb 22, 2021 | Katherine Rich Comments

Challenge and change defined 2020 like few other years in food & grocery, and they’re set define 2021 too, though (fingers crossed) not in quite the same way. I’m confident the supply chain legends of 2020 will retain their place in industry history. Rather, 2021...

Rocks under the towel

Dec 9, 2020 | Katherine Rich Comments

Wow – what a year that’s coming to an end! Usually at this time we’re saying, ‘let’s put that one behind us, have a decent break and start afresh next year’, and be relatively sure that will happen. But this year I’m afraid it’s not going to be that simple. There are...

Tackling grocery sector competition problems

Nov 25, 2020 | Katherine Rich Comments

Before the election, the Labour Party said it would get the Commerce Commission to undertake a market study into grocery pricing. Jacinda Ardern said there is “some evidence to suggest competition problems exist in these markets”. Though the Food & Grocery Council...