E D I TOR ’ S N O T E Kathryn Calvert Editor NZ FOODTechnology LETTER TO THE EDITOR On the lips of nearly everyone you meet at the moment is sugar. It’s the bad boy of the times, and bearing the brunt are the sugary drinks manufacturers as countries around the world start to impose aggressive sugar taxes to cut consumption. Here in New Zealand, our regulators are reluctant to make massive changes, and the NZ Beverage Council is bolshy over what it says would be a questionable and unfair tax. But something’s got to give, so we can ensure the future health of our kids isn’t compromised by the bad choices of their carers now. We print the opinions of some, but how would you do it? Email me with your publishable strategies. Dumpster diving isn’t a term bandied around New Zealand much, but those who eat food thrown away in rubbish bins are a surprisingly strong group here. Many do it to save money, but for others it’s a philosophical stand against food wastage by food manufacturers, distributors and retailers. So what exactly can you find in skips behind supermarkets and service stations late at night? The result might surprise you. When we first learnt of the enormity of what is now called the baby formula contamination crisis, it sent a shiver through us all. When a grave Prime Minister addressed a press conference on March 10 last year and revealed the threat to off-the-shelf baby formula by someone declaring they’d contaminate it with 1080 unless the poison’s use was stopped in New Zealand, we knew with great certainty that the world would be watching. What happened next could have been a disaster but fortunately wasn’t, and an Auckland businessman was recently convicted over the crisis. A happy ending, but only just. How has our reputation fared in all of this? See one expert’s opinion on page 5. It’s a pleasure to begin our new monthly regional update on what is happening in food and beverage technology in the provinces. First up is Hawke’s Bay, and what’s going on there is truly inspirational. Also check out our four ‘My Say’ pieces, and don’t forget to see if you’ve won any of our subscriber giveaways on pages 15, 27 and 38. 1 Johnathan Chen Head of Asia Division, James & Wells Avoid the Cultural Cringe in China If you wandered into a meeting in Auckland’s CBD wearing gumboots and a singlet, you’d be laughed out of the office. Kiwis who base their view of Chinese culture on crude stereotypes risk a similar fate when doing business in China. New Zealand businesspeople are generally aware of the importance of culture in doing business in China, but many do not realise the nuances involved. A one-size-fits-all approach to culture and business is doomed to fail. Don’t expect to put on an act and be able to impress your Chinese counterparts. If you do not understand the culture, it’s much better to be up front about it and admit your ignorance. Better still, make it a priority to gain an understanding of key aspects of the particular culture you are dealing with. Kiwis looking to do business in China need to ask themselves three questions. The first is: Where in China do you want to go? Just like Chinese food, there is a lot of variety – northern Chinese, southern Chinese, western Chinese, Hong Kongese, Taiwanese etc. The language, culture and mindset of people in these regions differ significantly. The second question to ask is: Who are you dealing with? Is it Government officials, professionals, general manufacturers or merchants? This leads to the next question: What is the background of the people you are dealing with? Are you dealing with a self-made man who survived the revolution and civil war, navigating the treacherous political and economic landscape during this time? Or are you dealing with products of the ‘one-child policy’ which resulted in wealthy families? It always surprises me how few Kiwis can answer these three questions. It is also important to note that business in China has grown much more sophisticated than most New Zealanders think. The fact that you do not know how to hand over a business card the ‘Chinese way’ is unlikely to bother them. However, treating them like uneducated cash-cows will. My advice is to choose a region in China and spend time there, or at least make sure you hire someone who understands the subtleties of the region. Don’t just attend a seminar and jump on the next Dreamliner to Shanghai. It is much more complicated than that. Johnathan Chen Head of Asia Division, James & Wells An Unfortunate Scapegoat HAVE YOUR SAY:
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