FoodNZ April/May issue out now 

Overview feature is Ingredients.

Also included are:

• Preview of the NZIFST 2016 Conference, 4 - 7 July
• A report on the 2016 NZ/OZ Sensory Symposium
• An analysis of the effect of the Sugar Tax in Mexico, from Katherine Rich, CEO of the NZFGC.

Agribusiness in schools set to increase tertiary enrolments

The Ministry of Education have committed to developing Agribusiness achievement standards for senior students in New Zealand secondary schools.

St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, along with DairyNZ, Beef + LambNZ and other primary industries experts have been working together since 2013 to develop an innovative Agribusiness teaching and learning programme that the Ministry is now finalising.

St Paul’s identified the need for more targeted primary industries education in secondary schools when DairyNZ released alarming figures about the sector’s skills shortage. The Government’s target of doubling New Zealand’s primary sector exports by 2025 in itself will require around 25,000 more graduates, according to MPI figures.

Less than 200 students graduated from university agribusiness related courses in 2013, ringing alarm bells for St Paul’s and industry experts.

By introducing academically rigorous Agribusiness courses to secondary school students, more of New Zealand’s brightest young minds will become inspired by the opportunities available in the sector and realise that career prospects go beyond the farm gate. They can become food scientists, food technologists, marketers, business professionals, economists, technicians or the CEO of one of New Zealand’s major Agribusiness companies – the possibilities are endless.”

The Agribusiness achievement standards will be a New Zealand first.

Tastier low alcohol beer

More consumption of low alcohol beer will lead to reduced harm, survey shows

Many New Zealanders say harm caused by alcohol can be reduced if more people drink low-alcohol beer, a new survey shows.

The Horizon survey of 1141 New Zealanders, published by the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council (FGC), found that almost half of respondents thought increased consumption of low-alcohol beer would bring significant public health benefits. These included a reduction in overall alcohol consumption (41%), reduced public disorder (47%) and lower rates of drink-driving (43%).

At around 4% of total beer, the consumption of low-alcohol beer in New Zealand is low compared with Australia, where it comprises 20%. Consumption has lifted in recent years, especially with the new drink-driving laws, and there’s clearly an opportunity to encourage more drinkers to switch from fuller-strength beer to low-alcohol alternatives.

The brewing industry has made significant progress on improving the taste and range of these beers, and it needs to look at how it can further stimulate more innovation in brewing.

Low alcohol beer survey: Key points:

• 62% believe people drink low alcohol beer to be able to drive under the lower drink-drive limit.
• 60% believe people drink low-alcohol beer because they don’t want to get drunk.
• Taste (38%), cost (19%) and limited range (16%) are the main reasons why people don’t drink more low-alcohol beer.
• 38% say more people would drink more low-alcohol beer if there were more options (brands, styles and flavours) available.
• 58% say more people would drink low-alcohol beer if it was cheaper than full-strength beer.
• 61% of people believe a lower tax rate on low-alcohol beer would encourage more consumption.

Countdown revamping its in-house products

Countdown has announced that it’s rolling out a refresh of its own brand range, as well as introducing a new category to its line up, expecting the massive task to take about two years, with the first hint of the change to be visible on supermarket shelves in May.

The Countdown Select and Signature Range products that most Kiwis are familiar with will eventually come under the name ‘Countdown’, a Countdown release says, while a new ‘Essentials’ range will also be launched to replace Homebrand.

Essentials will hit shelves in May and will be a value-offering including commonly purchased necessities. The revamped Countdown brand will also start appearing but the full transition will take a couple of years.

While it could be argued there’s a perception proprietary products are of a lower quality than other branded products, Countdown says the products have been developed based on what customers say they’re looking for.

Countdown is following in the footsteps of Foodstuffs (owner of New World, Four Square and Pak’nSave), which has revamped its Pams range.