NEW ZEALAND

Beef + Lamb New Zealand passes Taste Pure Nature baton to exporters

Taste Pure Nature, New Zealand’s country of origin beef and lamb marketing programme, has officially moved to a new phase with Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) handing the reins to red meat processors and exporters.

Posted on Oct 11 ,00:10

In April, the Meat Industry Association (MIA) and B+LNZ announced exporters would assume responsibility for advancing the Taste Pure Nature brand and activity programme.

The next phase of the Taste Pure Nature campaign will be launched at the influential China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November. A targeted three-year proof-of-concept umbrella brand focusing on boosting New Zealand red meat as a protein of choice for Shanghai consumers will underpin the campaign.

Working alongside New Zealand red meat exporters, the campaign will feature integrated marketing programmes that include digital and social media marketing, media and influencer relations, events and advertising.

MIA Independent Chair Nathan Guy acknowledges the significant work and investment B+LNZ has made in promoting the sustainability of New Zealand grass-fed beef and lamb to target groups of international consumers.

"This second phase of Taste Pure Nature will build on this success in China by raising awareness and driving preference for New Zealand beef and lamb, promoting the natural attributes from our grass-fed, hormone-free animals farmed outdoors.

“By shifting the focus from the style of farming to the nutritional attributes of New Zealand red meat, the Taste Pure Nature marketing umbrella will provide discerning Shanghai consumers with assurances that high-quality New Zealand red meat is also a nutritious, safe and accessible protein option for their families.

"China is a key market for New Zealand’s red meat sector and this programme will play a key role in ensuring our relevancy against the increasingly fierce competition.

"Given the challenging market conditions we are facing, it is more important than ever that we continue to invest in promoting nutritious New Zealand beef and lamb".

Kate Acland, Chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand, said it was fitting the next phase of Taste Pure Nature would be launched in Shanghai. 

"In April, New Zealand’s high quality grass-fed beef and lamb was showcased in a Taste Pure Nature campaign at well-known Shanghai bistro chain Alimentari.

"As a sector, our future depends on driving greater value and securing higher premiums for our products.

"The Taste Pure Nature programme has demonstrated the power of our farmers’ story and the impact that can be achieved through targeted investment in global markets. Given the current market challenges, it’s critical to keep investing in marketing.

"B+LNZ's Taste Pure Nature campaign was designed to lay a strong foundation that meat processors and exporters could build upon for their international marketing effort and we’re confident the companies will continue the programme’s success and take it to the next level".

According to research last year, the campaign in California drove positive behaviour for both beef and lamb. As a result of seeing the campaign, 71% of Californian Conscious Foodies said they would consider buying NZ beef, 66% intend to buy NZ beef and 64% said they will recommend buying NZ beef to others in the near future.

Highlights include

• The development of an all-of-industry origin story for overseas consumers for the first time
• The creation of a multi-year through-the-line brand marketing campaign targeting the Conscious Foodie consumer segment across the United States and China. Drove a 20% uplift in awareness and an 18% uplift in aspiration to purchase beef and lamb from New Zealand in the US. 
• An integrated consumer marketing campaign to support the launch of ANZCO Foods new chilled beef range in 7Fresh supermarkets in Beijing, helping grow average sales volumes across the range by 289% compared to the period prior and increased ongoing weekly sales by 175%, post-campaign versus the previous period
• Development of a marketing partnership with Californian supermarket chain Jons Fresh Marketplace and deployed digital and out-of-home advertising and shopper marketing tactics to grow sales of Silver Fern Farms-branded retail products by 30% on the previous period
• A branded 'food truck' activation at 18 high-traffic locations across Los Angeles that served 15,000 chef-curated samples to consumers - supported with an integrated marketing campaign, including billboards, local morning TV and social media 
• The use of consumer and category insights to develop and launch a premium Taste Pure Nature-branded ready-to-heat meal solution range in several high-profile supermarkets in Shanghai, China, including Hema Fresh's new high-end 'black label' Premier store
• The creation of a new channel-to-market and branded activation to drive the trial of New Zealand grass-fed beef and lamb in Shanghai by developing ready-to-eat meals for purchase through branded vending machines. This surpassed sales targets by 263% with 42% of our target consumer segment hearing about the machines through promotion and activation efforts.
• Cured ham and shoulder: drivers and emblems of the pork sector.
• The cured ham and shoulder sector has shown its strength and capacity for growth in recent years, driven by domestic demand and expansion in international markets. The focus on quality, authenticity and adaptation to consumer preferences have been key to this success.
• Cured ham and shoulder are emblematic foods of Spanish gastronomy, recognised both nationally and internationally. These products have seen significant growth in terms of production, consumption and export in recent years.
• Cured ham and shoulder represent 31% of the value of all sales of processed meats in the Spanish market. This sector is crucial for the meat industry, not only because of its sales volume, but also because of the added value it provides. These are products that require a careful and traditional production process, which increases their value and makes them an essential component of the commercial offer of the Spanish meat sector.
• In 2023, 77,634 tons of white pork ham and shoulder were sold in Spain, representing an increase of 2.7% compared to 2022. This increase is indicative of the growing demand and popularity of these products among Spanish consumers. A reality that can be verified by the data showing that per capita consumption of cured white pork ham and shoulder grew to exceed 1.61 kilos per inhabitant per year, consolidating its place in the Spanish diet.
• As a result, the market value of white ham and shoulder sold in Spain reached 1.15 million euros in 2023, which represents an increase of 9% compared to 2022. This percentage increase in value, higher than the increase in volume, suggests a trend towards higher quality or added value products, as well as a greater willingness of consumers to pay for premium products.
• This increase certainly also reflects the success of the marketing strategies implemented by the sector. Product differentiation, diversity, quality certifications and promotion have contributed to increasing their perceived value among consumers.
• Furthermore, advances in production, curing and packaging processes, together with exhaustive quality control and traceability, have allowed producers to offer consistently high-quality products, which has reinforced consumer confidence and increased demand. Investment in innovation and technology has also played an important role in this regard.
• Finally, it is also worth mentioning the adequate response that industries have given to the new demands of the market, offering products in convenient and high-quality formats, with presentations that facilitate their consumption on various occasions.
• Today it is not difficult to find different formats on the shelves that adapt to the needs of the modern consumer or differentiating proposals, hams with a longer curing period or limited editions, which have driven the expansion of sales in premium formats and have broadened the market by offering different options for their presentation or consumption.
• Consumption, whether at home, in restaurants or at special events, is of course also driven by its flavour and quality, as well as by its complete assimilation with the culture and culinary traditions of Spain.
• Not in vain, they are two products that are not missing in celebrations, festivities and in daily gastronomy. From tapas to main dishes, the versatility of cured ham and shoulder allows them to be incorporated into a wide variety of recipes, which contributes to their popularity and continued consumption.

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