Saturday, March 30, 2024

Te Hono: In pursuit of excellence

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The little-known Te Hono Movement of primary industry leaders has some lofty goals but scarce resources. Its foundation is a widespread belief that New Zealand can do much more with its exports to add value and sustainability.
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Changes and commitments would be needed in order to reach the Government’s goal of doubling primary sector exports by 2025, the Te Hono framework document said.

“That NZ would be recognised by the rest of the world for its natural environment and products, for the openness and ethical values of its people, and the quality of its relations with the rest of the world.”

Te Hono was born out of the now annual New Zealand Primary Sector Bootcamp at Stanford University, California.

The fifth such bootcamp is under way, consisting of a valuable week of learning and networking for 51 New Zealanders, including Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

Once completed, they will be numbered among 130-plus alumni who continue their learning and collaboration through Te Hono.

Chief executives of sometimes competing primary sector companies found much common ground during their Stanford experiences, Te Hono steering committee member Maury Leyland said.

The former Fonterra senior executive described her own bootcamp attendance as “reigniting my passion for NZ and the challenges it faces on world markets.

“I did not realise how eye-opening the experience would be, mainly because of the relationships formed.”

Leyland said the agenda for the bootcamps had been refined by the Graduate School of Business at Stanford working with the Te Hono steering committee.

That committee was headed by Greg Muir, chief executive of Tru-Test Group, and included the bootcamp visionary, John Brakenridge, chief executive of New Zealand Merino.

The veteran wool industry leader conceived the Stanford course approach to upskilling and collaboration in the NZ primary sector.

The first bootcamp in 2012 consisted of 23 chief executives the-then Primary Industries Minister, David Carter, and the chief executive of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Peter Chrisp.

The next year the first Maori bootcamp at Stanford was held, to assist with awakening the huge force of Maori agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fishing.

Te Hono was created to continue and strengthen relationships in the sector by holding regular events in the regions open to a wider group than the Stanford bootcamp alumni.

It now has an elaborate manifesto but still works on part-time secretarial resources and the voluntary time of alumni.

“A common factor amongst the group is the control over the supply chain right back to the orchard, farm, seafood quota or vineyard and this control guarantees supply for the international markets.”

Andy Borland

Scales Corporation

The alumni also carry what Te Hono called the DNA of NZ primary sector success and each member had been asked to invest in professional development, mentoring and commercial relationships where appropriate.

Two of those were the Primary Collaboration NZ in Shanghai, between eight NZ exporters, and the Team USA venture covering fibre, food and beverages.

For the Shanghai initiative, Scales Corporation head Andy Borland said three apple exporters, Silver Fern Farms, Villa Maria, Sealord and Kono NZ, had hired Chinese nationals as marketing managers and shared their costs, plus office facilities.

“NZ Trade and Enterprise has been a big help, but this is commercially led – we say we are collaborating to compete.

“A common factor amongst the group is the control over the supply chain right back to the orchard, farm, seafood quota or vineyard and this control guarantees supply for the international markets.”

Borland said about 5% of his Mr Apple sales went to China initially and that had now grown to 10%.

China’s share should increase to 15-20% before Mr Apple outgrew the collaboration, Borland thought.

For Team USA, wine marketer Steve Smith, a founder of Craggy Range in Hawke’s Bay, said the objective was to present NZ products to affluent consumers in the US.

Early research showed that consumer group knew only a little about NZ, but that little was favourable.

The team had put in money to commission market research from Stanford and the results would be presented to team members at the conclusion of the bootcamp.

“We expect to design really good commercial outcomes, on the basis of which team companies will make further investments.

“It started from the realisation that nothing was going to happen if we didn’t make as commitment to make it happen.

“Team USA is the first collaboration for many of these companies.

“It wouldn’t have happened without the Stanford bootcamps and the Te Hono Movement,” Smith said.

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