38 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT - SOUTH CANTERBURY Silver Fern Farms Pareora Consumers’ wants key T from page 36 Underpinning Silver Fern’s success is a determination to understand and meet the expectations of consumers. With a global revenue of $2.5 billion annually, generated from sales in 60 markets, Silver Fern’s key markets are China, US, New Zealand, UK, EU, Japan, Korea and the Middle East. Underpinning Silver Fern’s success on the international stage is a strong commitment to delivering value to farmers and customers through a clear understanding of what drives consumers to purchase the products, and a determination to consistently meet their expectations. “What consumers want depends on the market. We know the taste and quality of our product, the assurances around the food safety of our product and the nutritional qualities of grass-fed red meat are key to consumers buying our product. And the Silver Fern brand certainly underlines that in the market where the brand is used.” One of the key commitments made to all of Silver Fern’s markets is, whether it is lamb, beef or venison, the product is 100% grassfed. The animals are raised year-round on pasture with access, if needed, to conserved forages like hay and silage. That also means they have been raised with the ability to wander and graze freely. The animals can eat and live as they would naturally, reducing stress and promoting better animal welfare. With a diet of rich grass, animals grow strong, healthy and lean. The meat that is produced has a consistently delicious, distinctive flavour — the mark of red meat as it naturally should be. The meat is leaner, more finely textured and nutritionally better for you. Compared to being grain-fed, grass-fed meat is lower in saturated fat, and higher in vitamins A and E, conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. “We also have certain programmes like the 100% Angus programme where there are even more specific requirements around being Angus bred cattle. So for us, the farming system and the taste, holds us in good stead and more and more people are looking to see how their food is produced from an animal welfare perspective as well as a broad sustainability perspective, including carbon.” Appreciating the growing importance of provenance amongst the new age of consumers, Dave says while people currently know the meat is grass-fed from New Zealand, Silver Fern is working to break that down to a more detailed level with the ultimate aim of being able to track back to a specific farm. “That is a key project for us to solve over time. It is complex with animals producing many products so we need to build a system that keeps track of them through our web of markets and customers. “Nevertheless, the way technology is developing it is not impossible. We now have a clear focus on investing in the market to get closer to our consumers so we can better understand their needs and how to serve them. Our strategy is to become the world’s most successful and sustainable grass-fed red meat company.” FIRE EXTINQUISHER SERVICES 0800 347 392 Fire Equipment Sales & Service Fire Suppression Systems Fire Extinguisher Training Marine • Industrial Commercial • Domestic Insurance Approved Supplier Rural Locally Owned & Operated - IQP Registered • FPA Member Firewatch South Canterbury Ltd www.firewatch.co.nz SERVICE TECHNICIAN Stephen Jones 027 230 8828 Servicing Centrifuge machinery throughout the South Island Able to source all Separator and Decanter parts PARTS Leanne Jones 027 494 7842 info@onsitemaintenance.net.nz www.onsitemaintenance.net.nz Your Local Water Specialist for over 75 years! PROUD TO SUPPORT SILVER FERN FARMS with Industrial Pumps & Water Treatment www.harrispumps.co.nz
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