NEWS
SNIPS
Pregnancy
warning labels
on alcohol
will become
mandatory in
New Zealand,
Minister for Food
Safety Damien
O’Connor
announced at
the Australia
New Zealand
Ministerial
Forum on Food
Regulation in
Adelaide
Libelle Group,
a family-owned
enterprise that
delivers 1.7
million healthy
lunches per year
in school tuckshops
is calling
on investors to
get behind its
equity crowdfunding
launch to
raise $1 million
Living up to the
reputation as
New Zealand’s
most awarded
winery, Villa
Maria is off to
an impressive
start in the 2019
awards season
with a total of
17 gold medals
from both the
New Zealand
International
Wine Show and
Hawke's Bay
Wine Awards
White + Wong’s
Auckland is the
country’s top
eatery, awarded
‘Best Restaurant’
in the Hospitality
New Zealand
Annual Awards
for Excellence
2018.
NEW LEADER
FOR AURECON
www.foodtechnology.co.nz 7
KIWI KAI REMAINS
IN COUNTRY
A company keen to “bring excitement
and dynamism to the New Zealand
food industry” has taken a bold move
and purchased the assets of I Love
Limited, trading as I Love Food Co and
producing I Love Pies and I Love Baking
products. I Love Food – founded by
Maree Glading and Jessie Stanley 10
years ago to sell pies at the Clevedon
Farmers Market – has been acquired
by New Zealand-owned food company
Walter & Wild, and chief executive Harry
Hart says the purchase is much more
than a portfolio gain. “It’s also about
infusing I Love Food Co’s authenticity,
innovation and deep connection to the
consumer into Walter & Wild’s DNA.
That’s something to be incredibly excited
about.” The company’s pies are stocked
in supermarkets across New Zealand
and exported to Asia and the Pacific, and
both Glading and Stanley will be taking
up new roles at Walter & Wild. Glading
says she sees an enormous potential for
the ‘I Love’ brand in the existing product
categories and across the broader Walter
and Wild portfolio. “Our focus has always
been on creating good food for busy
families, with real ingredients, and we will
continue to do this. As we reflect back
on our journey so far, we’d like to thank
everyone who supported us right from
the start.” The sale to a locally-owned
company means I Love Food will continue
to be locally-owned as well, Glading
says, and is expected to commence next
month. Walter and Wild’s brands include
Alfa One, Aunt Betty’s, Greggs, Hansells,
Hubbards, Thriftee, Teza and Vitafresh.
Dr Ingrid Appelqvist has been
appointed global engineering and
infrastructure advisory company Aurecon’s
new client director for manufacturing
as the company grows
its manufacturing work in response
to New Zealand and Australia’s
growing importance as a food
supplier to Asia. A distinguished
food scientist with a strong track
record as a leader, Appelqvist joins
Aurecon from CSIRO, where she
led the food structure group at the
Agriculture and Food Business Unit.
The position saw her working on
healthier foods that retain palatability
and nutrition-uptake in the body,
and her expertise in food design
includes advanced food manufacturing
processes and technologies,
an expertise she will facilitate for
Aurecon’s agri-food clients. The
Australian Trade Commission says
that by 2050, 60% of the global demand
for food will come from Asia,
and Aurecon managing director for
energy, resources and manufacturing
Dr Alex Wonhas says the hiring
of Appelqvist will bring advanced
technical capability and strategic
thought-leadership to Aurecon’s
manufacturing business “at a time
when Australia’s and New Zealand’s
agri-business industries are gearing
up for growth.”
HUNTER DOWN OFF
IrrigationNZ says it is disappointed that the Hunter Downs irrigation scheme has been
shelved, saying it’s a lost opportunity for South Canterbury and a waste of more than $4
million in investment. “The scheme had the potential to significantly boost the Waimate
economy, create jobs, improve people’s standard of living and help resolve water quality
problems,” chief executive Andrew Curtis says.”It’s disappointing that a scheme with
wide reaching community benefits won’t proceed.” Curtis says much of Environment
Canterbury’s plans for improving water quality in the South Canterbury coastal area rely
on the development of the irrigation scheme to reduce pressure on groundwater and
augment the Lake Wainono Lagoon. “Other countries are increasing their investment
in water storage to recognise that their communities and economies need access to a
secure water supply in a changing climate. New Zealand needs to keep making similar
investments to future-proof our water resources and food production, and secure our
export income,” he says.
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