MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

NZ meat industry puts up its best show for Rugby World Cup fans

The country expects 95.000 visitors for the rugby world event

New Zealand's biggest meat company expects the horde of carnivorous rugby fans to consume an extra 70,000 of sheep, cattle and deer during the Rugby World Cup that took off last Friday.

Silver Fern Farms has signed up 138 restaurants to promote top quality Kiwi red meat.

The meat processor co-operative said more than 430 farmers had taken an opportunity to contract supply for the August and September period - committing 25,000 lambs, 11,000 cattle and more than 31,000 deer in addition to the normal spot market supply.

According to the NZ press in total up to 95,000 visitors are expected to visit the country during the cup.

Silver Fern Farms is working in partnership with food service distributor Bidvest.

Chief executive Keith Cooper said it was heartening that farmers were keen to be part of the initiative “and for us to all share in a unique event that showcases the best New Zealand has to offer”.

“Restaurants have been planning for an influx of visitors in the country for the next couple of months and Silver Fern Farms has assisted both restaurants and farmer partners alike to be able to meet the demand for top class product.”
The supply program started more than a year ago.

“We were always concerned that we would get more restaurants than we could get supply so it was a matter of matching up the two,” Cooper said. “It's come together nicely.”
 

“We didn't really want to see Australian meat being used in New Zealand when we had a whole lot of visitors here as well.”

The initiative was a great example of an integrated supply chain in action, Cooper said.

“We gave them [farmers] a price that they knew what margin they would make when they started the program to grow those animals as opposed to pot luck,” he said. “I think they'll be very pleased with what they've contracted at.”

The company's strategy was to create a branded product range which would insulate it from commodity price trends.

“We took it upon ourselves to lead the charge on putting in front [of] all those global travellers our branded product range,” Cooper said.

“It's an opportunity we shouldn't miss.”
 

Shane Yardley, chef at Hilton Auckland's restaurant FISH, said the Rugby World Cup would bring a large number of travellers to Auckland and New Zealand in the next six weeks.

“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase what New Zealand has to offer in terms of quality of the produce and creativity of the chefs,” Yardley said.