62 | “Consumers are giving us a vote of confidence. As of today, approximately one in four eggs sold in New Zealand supermarkets have come from one of our sites.” ON FARM » Better Eggs Betters Eggs going down well in local market Three of New Zealand’s most experienced egg producers joined forces to form Better Eggs some four years ago. Kim Newth With a passion for providing nourishment for better living, Better Eggs is making a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders, as well as to animal welfare and the environment. Three of New Zealand’s most experienced egg producers joined forces to form Better Eggs some four years ago. Their brands – Henergy Cage-Free and Better Eggs Free Range – are SPCA Certified, giving consumers confidence that all their hens are healthy, safe and enjoy a good quality of life. Achieving this certification is a rigorous process, with regular audits required to ensure ongoing compliance. The Better Eggs recipe of good nutrition, backed by their strong commitments to animal welfare, is proving popular with New Zealand consumers. “Our sales have continued to increase,” says Michaela Fleming, Better Eggs’ Marketing Coordinator. “Consumers are giving us a vote of confidence. As of today, approximately one in four eggs sold in New Zealand supermarkets have come from one of our sites.” These sites include an innovative, forest-free range operation near Tokoroa, where chickens share spacious sunny hen housing – with natural lighting and ventilation - and a quality outdoor environment, planted with native trees. There are currently four sheds operating – home to 160,000 free range, SPCA certified hens - with another eight in the pipeline over the next three years. It all flows through to a quality product for the nation’s egg lovers, with these healthy, happy hens producing good quality, nutritious eggs. “Chickens were forest birds that originated from the jungles of South-East Asia. For us, returning them to a natural forest environment, has been a real buzz. They can roam around trees and rocks, and dig for bugs and insects. It’s quite unique to have a free range forest environment like this. “We also have SPCA certified barn sheds in Masterton and Kawerau, as well as a feed mill in Tuakau. We employ around 170 people across all our sites, but the culture is still very much that of a family-owned business - we’re a close-knit team.” For Better Eggs, the welfare of their chickens is paramount. Biosecurity is rigorously upheld and there are multiple checks each day on birds, with productivity closely monitored. At the feed mill, special blends are created to ensure the chickens enjoy the nutritious feed needed to produce Better Eggs. Maize supplied by New Zealand growers is a key ingredient. Better Eggs is proud to support other local New Zealand farmers and growers as part of its operations. Better Eggs has invested strongly in automation to ensure eggs reach the consumer in perfect condition. Better Eggs ojifs.com Proudly supplying quality corrugated packaging to Packaging Central | +64 6 367 6800 | casectrl@ojifs.com The technology used ensures high levels of food safety with the tiniest defects being picked up. “With automation in place, we are able to package and grade up to 4.8 million eggs each week across our sites. Of course, automation helps keep our costs down, resulting in a more affordable product for the consumer too.” Better Eggs is pledged to a Better Environment for the future. All packaging is sustainably sourced being FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved, biodegradable and made from fibre that can be recycled. No plastic shrink wrapped trays are used. Better Eggs is reducing its carbon footprint and has largely transitioned to a hybrid vehicle fleet. 0508 GRAINS (0508 472 467) www.pggwrightsongrain.co.nz www.facebook.com/PGGWrightsonGrain Proudly supporting Better Eggs PGG Wrightson Grain contracts and manages the delivery of NZ produced maize and cereal grain for customers. Our experienced staff, industry insight and strong relationships ensure reliable and convenient supply arrangements.
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