Why: exchange rate too high, oil prices low, slowing growth
in China, slow growth in Europe, oversupply of lamb in Britain, blah blah. I presume all very valid excuses for poor
returns, but what is being done different to make us less vulnerable to all
this? Despite the repetitive rhetoric, I
would suggest it could be in reality 5/8’s of FA.
As an outsider looking in and hearing quotes like “can’t
move hindquarters (not sure exact word used) in Europe, China’s demand for
forequarters and offal reduced dramatically” suggest to me that we should be
years beyond marketing and selling products in this form.
Chicken, decades ago, was essentially only sold as a whole
chicken. Today, it’s predominantly sold in
a variety of “one meal portions”; surely today whole chicken sales comprise a very
small percentage of supermarket sales. I
personally only ever buy chicken breasts, chicken mince, chicken nibbles etc in
a portion size suitable for one meal. We
are told continuously this is what the modern consumer wants, so why are we
still selling whole lamb as hindquarters (leg of lamb), forequarters
(shoulders) etc.
Surely the focus needs to be on it breaking it down into one
portion meals. Hopefully the following is already being done
by Meat Companies:
1.
Research and develop how to portion out a lamb
carcass into one family meal portion sizes (ultimately a different optimum
carcass weight may be required to achieve the best cuts); and
2.
Research various (good) ways to cook such
portions (quickly), with instructions on packaging (perhaps get Maggi on board!);
and
3.
Taste needs to be the number one priority, above
yield for Meat companies. I always
ensure overseas guests taste home killed mutton and every time they are stunned
as to how nice it is. A great taste will
get new repeat customers, but similarly one bad experience you won’t get them
back again! Meat companies need to reward
those farmers who supply lambs that are in good order with a bit of condition
on them over and above those that supply lambs that weigh okay but are hard
(the first lot of lambs will taste a lot better than the second). The Meat Companies are certainly not doing
this at the moment. You need some fat on
a lamb/ mutton when killed, if it is to taste good on the table;; and
4.
Market and package it in a way that utilises
what New Zealand is known for around the world; clean, green, mountains,
pristine water, lakes, blue skies, outdoors etc. Accordingly “New Zealand” must always feature
strongly in the brand name. Alliance’s
“Pure South” brand does little for me, but at the very least surely it should
be “Pure South New Zealand”. Similarly
package the product in a way highlighting the features that people love about
New Zealand namely mountains and lakes, use sky blue and greens on the
packaging. I don’t understand Silver
Fern Farms packaging of its meat, in my view it’s hideous it represents
nothing.
I am constricted by the size of
this column, as I certainly have more to say.
However I ask Meat companies to be transparent and publicly respond by letting
us know what, if anything, you are doing along the lines above and if not why
not.
