A country that cares

New Zealand is a world-class leader in the food and beverage industry. What would you say underpins everything that your farmers, growers, fishers, and producers do?

Sustainability is at the heart of New Zealand’s food and beverage industry. And everyone involved is deeply committed to not just playing their part in reducing environmental impact, but to leading this change. This thinking is based on Kaitiakitanga – the Mˉaori concept of care for people and place, now and for future generations. As kaitiaki (guardians), New Zealanders believe they have a responsibility to leave the world a better place. We understand that if natures thrives, we all thrive.

Is this a relatively new way of thinking?

No, this has been passed down through generations of farmers and producers, all of whom are responsible for our history of innovation. Today’s companies follow in their footsteps and continue to develop world-leading technologies that address efficiency and sustainability and introduce best-practices to the food and beverage industry.

New Zealand is first equal of 113 countries for food safety. That’s quite a feat. What measures are in place?

We have a highly transparent and rigorous food safety system, overseen by the government, which includes clear food safety laws that apply across the food production supply chain. It ensures food is safe to eat, risks are identified and managed and that New Zealand’s reputation for stringent food safety is upheld. Any exported food must also meet strict laws.

Looking at your land-based animal products first, Spinneys sources beef from ANZCO. What’s the secret behind the wonderful flavour of New Zealand beef?

Our beef cattle are free to roam in natural environments with wide open spaces, year-round, and they’re 100 per cent grass fed. So, there are no added hormones, or anything else like that in their diet. It’s just super nutritious and super healthy. This is what gives our meat a distinct and tender flavour.

In terms of fresh produce, Spinneys sources kiwifruit, apples, onions and more from New Zealand. Talk to us about the country’s horticulture industry, innovation and how farmers ensure all fruit and vegetables are pure and natural.

As mentioned, the culture in New Zealand is to constantly innovate and invest in new growing techniques. As a result of this, we produce more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables – many of which are market-leading products. It’s vital to understand that because of our stringent biosecurity regulations, New Zealand orchards and farms are free of major pests and diseases, making us a world leader in low residue production.

Because of New Zealand’s expansive coastline and cool, nutrient-rich oceanic waters the country produces premium-quality, flavoursome seafood. How is the fishing industry operating in a sustainable manner? And what are some of the unique species on offer?

New Zealand has a globally recognised pioneering fisheries management system, which covers almost 100 commercial species and ensures 94 per cent of our commercial catch comes from sustainable stocks. Interestingly, a number of large fisheries are owned by Mˉaori – this feeds back to the concept of Kaitiakitanga.

We are a world leader in high-quality niche species such as king salmon and unique greenshell mussels – both of which you’ll see at Spinneys. And you can trace any aquaculture product originating from New Zealand back to the farm it grew in, the date it was harvested and when and where it was processed.

While New Zealand is known for producing a variety of honey, it’s manuka that is perhaps the most well-known product. What’s the story behind this? And is this honey unique?

This honey comes from the nectar of the manuka plant, which itself has actually been used by Maori as natural medicine for generations. New Zealand is the only country in the world that has a formal, scientific definition of manuka honey, which is administered by the Government’s regulator, the Ministry for Primary Industries. The New Zealand manuka honey definition requires all exported manuka honey to be tested to ensure it’s true to its labelling, prior to export.

The Comvita brand is no stranger to Spinneys. It’s also New Zealand’s largest producer of genuine UMF™ manuka honey. Please explain what it’s doing to help combat declining bee populations and why this is important.

Bee organizations across the world are highlighting the importance of bees – and how their declining populations pose a threat to the ecosystem and agriculture. Comvita did something very cool and opened the Comvita Apiaries Queen Breeding Unit in March 2020. This is an entire scientific facility dedicated to rearing strong queens and ensuring exceptional genetic diversity, which will support goals of ensuring the sustainable, long-term health of bee populations in New Zealand, and support the overall health of our entire planet.

New Zealand beverages – including the world’s first mineral water company to be certified carboNZero – have firmly secured their reputation around the world as top-quality products. Tell us more.

As with all our New Zealand products, our beverage difference starts with naturally pure ingredients and it doesn’t get any purer than Antipodes artesian water, which is bottled at the source. We are delighted that this brand has launched at Spinneys. It’s a fantastic product characterised by a subtle minerality, and it comes in beautiful packaging as well.