PRODUCTION AN AWESOME JOURNEY What makes it even more special is that the LeaderBrand Pure’n Ezy Baby Beet is made in New Zealand, at multiple sites located around the country. Chief executive Richard Burke says prior to the introduction of the baby beet product, the vegetable was only widely available in loose or canned form. “We thought there must be a better, more convenient way of providing this iconic New Zealand staple,” he says. “Essentially, we wanted to make it as quick and easy as possible to add beetroot to a dish, as New Zealanders are becoming increasingly time-poor and want convenient, wholesome meal options which minimise the need to resort to takeaways.” The production process begins with a planting programme and volume forecast which meets customer and sales requirements. From there, LeaderBrand sows, nurtures and monitors the beetroot on the plains of North Canterbury, harvests using the latest technology and transports to a post-harvest location where it is washed immediately. The beetroot is graded for defects and size and, after separation, taken to the company’s state-of-the-art pouch pack facility in Gisborne. Shortly after arrival, the beetroot is steamed and peeled, removing the outer layer. It is checked by LeaderBrand’s food safety technicians, graded, weighed and packaged according to a strict quality control programme, then vacuum sealed. No additives or preservatives are used during the process, ensuring the end product is as natural as possible for consumers. Once vacuum sealed, the beetroot is cooked via the ‘retort’ method, effectively pressure-cooking it, and ensuring shelf life and food safety. Once cooked, the beetroot is stored and monitored to ensure food safety requirements are exceeded. It is kept in its specially designed, BPA-free packaging throughout the entire process, which locks in the beetroot’s nutrients. Each pack has a unique traceability number on the back which allows consumers to trace individual products back to their origins. “We produce and strongly support seasonal, whole fruit and vegetable consumption, however we also firmly believe in meeting the consumer demand for convenient, healthy options made possible by our packaged products,” Burke says. “Pure’n Ezy Baby Beets enable customers to consume New Zealand grown beetroot year-round, without having to import it from overseas.” The packaging, he says, can also be recycled by the majority of councils across New Zealand which is an important consideration for those concerned about the environmental impact of plastic packaging. BABY BEET When is a baby beet more special than its counterparts? When it’s a unique, industry-leading product pioneered from exhaustive research, decades of testing growing patterns and produced on a rigorous state-of-the-art production process.
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