EGGS UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT 8 FEBRUARY 2017 A new action group made up of national hospitality and business organisations wanting to promote the health and social benefits of low-alcohol beer has been launched…and this summer’s drinking habits are in its sights. Go Low Action Group – headed by former Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson - is supported by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association, Clubs New Zealand, Federated Farmers New Zealand, Hospitality New Zealand, the Brewers Guild of New Zealand, Business NZ, DB Breweries and the NZ Institue of Management. “It’s great to have these organisations involved straight off the bat and we’ll be bringing in other community, health and business groups soon,” Robertson says. “Only by working with a wide range of interested and affected groups will we get actual, workable solutions to the issues.” Getting more Kiwis to drink low-alcohol beer is a win-win for drinkers, health and enforcement agencies, the group says. “The lower drink-drive limit probably best reflects the shift in public attitudes toward alcohol,” Robertson says. “There are real and perceived issues around the impact of alcohol in our communities, and it’s our job to help find workable ways of reducing alcohol-related harm.” While low-alcohol beer has jumped from 1% of all beer consumed in New Zealand to 5% in just three years, this country is still a long way behind Australia, where overall consumption is more than 20%, Robertson says. “There’s a range of reasons behind this and we’ll be exploring the issues and solutions with key decision-makers. That includes working with government to develop policies that make the production, sale and consumption of low-alcohol beer more attractive,” Robertson says. “If we can encourage moderation through the consumption of low-alcohol beer, then it’s a win-win for everyone, from drinkers and pubs to police and health agencies. Ultimately, that’s good for our communities.” The Go Low Action Group is a pan-industry group supported by national hospitality and business organisations to promote the health and social benefits of the consumption of low-alcohol beer (less than 3% alcohol by-volume) through moderation, responsibility and sociability. Dunedin-based Oritain Global has announced a significant partnership with leading Australian egg producer Farm Pride when now means the latter can scientifically prove the origin of its free-range eggs at any point in its supply chain. Oritain chief executive Grant Cochrane says that recent disputes questioning the origin of food in both Australia and New Zealand have grown significantly, due somewhat to increasingly sophisticated technology that allows consumers to research and share more about the origin of their food purchases than ever before. “Scandals like the Northland Forest Hill Farm debacle in 2014, where 2.47m caged-hen eggs were passed off as ‘free-range’, are exactly what smart producers like Farm Pride are trying to avoid,” says Cochrane. The Oritain methodology uses scientific testing to develop an ‘origin fingerprint’ for each of the farms from which Farm Pride sources its free-range eggs. The testing measures elements that occur naturally in each farm’s environment, and which are absorbed by free-range birds living there. Because concentrations of these elements vary depending on origin, each farm’s fingerprint is different. Regular testing at different points in the supply chain measures Farm Pride’s free-range eggs against this fingerprint to ensure their origin can be verified. “This technology helps us enhance the reputation of our free-range egg brands because Australians are increasingly demanding greater transparency over the sourcing and ethical production of their food,” Farm Pride chief executive Bruce De Lacy says. “Both consumers and retailers are looking for independent and trusted guarantees from producers about the origin of their food. “Sales of free-range eggs in Australia have grown significantly over the last five years, on average between 12-13% per annum. Farm Pride continues to invest in new sheds, shed technology, pastures and fencing to meet this demand.” The Oritain relationship will help Farm Pride underpin premium pricing for its free-range eggs and protect its brands from any potential substitution fraud. ‘GO LOW’ TO REDUCE ALCOHOL-RELATED HARM
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