Business South March 2021

46 | DAIRY INDUSTRY Westland Milk Products Pitching their products to the world Westland Milk Products supplies retailers and numerous food industry outlets throughout New Zealand and the world. T Richard Loader A fter Matt Evans completed his Com- merce degree in Strategy at Canterbury University at the end of 2012, his dad suggested it was time to get a job. Having grown up in the West Coast town- ship of Hokitika, Matt left school not really sure what he wanted to do but recalls having ‘grand designs for a corporate career.’ As it happened Matt started working for Westland Milk Products (WMP) at the start of 2013 on a short fixed-term contract in materials handling in the company’s nutrition- als plant; a small step that has most certainly launched a successful career with the Coastal dairy company. “You grow up in Hokitika where Westland was ever present but if you’re not part of that or don’t have family working there, which I didn’t, you don’t really know much about it,” says Matt. “So working there initially de-shrouded some of the mystery about the industry and then it becomes really fascinating, learning about how a litre of milk gets turned into some value added product.” Matt’s journey took him to accepting a cadetship in WMP’s graduate programme, which introduced him to various facets of the business including marketing, the butter factory and engineering. “That really gave me structure and direction for what I wanted to do and it started the journey of learning about dairy. “At the conclusion of that cadetship I tran- sitioned to a Sales and Marketing Assistant, then a Brand Manager for Westgold butter. From there I transitioned into sales.” After four years working with WMP, Matt was also looking for an opportunity to take his professional development to a different level and made the call to seek that externally through the meat industry. Accepting a Business Development role with a major meat processing company, Matt spent three years working in New Zealand and the Middle East, gaining valuable business experi- ences and insights. Matt says he values his time with that com- pany but after three years felt a strong pull back to dairy. When the opportunity arose to re-join WMP’s successful marketing team led by Hamish Yates, Matt accepted the challenge, joining right on Covid lockdown, with Zoom meetings being the order of the day. Encompassing everything he was looking for in a role, Matt is now WMP’s Global Ac- count Manager - Retail/Food Service. “I look after Australia/New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, primarily tasked with the man- agement and growth of the branded products we do. “So it’s working with retailers and food ser- vice distributors, split across our own brands and the third party products that we do. T to page 48 He Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Equipment Supply, Ice Banks, Water/Glycol Chillers, at Recovery Branches Nationwide Christchurch Support Office www.activerefrigeration.co.nz Email: info@activerefrig.co.nz Phone: (03) 339 2617 Energy E fficient E ngineering, 2 4 Hour Service, Design Build, Preven tati v e Maint enan ce, Supply & Installation Warren Refrigeration Services REFRIGERATION, VENTILATION & HEAT PUMPS 10 Clough Road, Paroa, Greymouth | 021 024 50117 | wrservices10@gmail.com 24 Hours Response, 7 days a week | IQP Registered | Approved installer of: Proudly supporting Westland Milk Products