After months of research Taste Pure Nature was launched in California on March 20 and straight away there were 151 automatic pick-ups on the multi-media release, providing potentially millions of potential impressions among individual consumers, Beef + Lamb NZ market development general manager Nick Beeby said.
“That’s a very good start for us and we’ve had feedback from our companies saying that customers have called to ask about the programme.
“It’s an extremely exciting time but the hard work starts now.”
Beeby and NZ meat processor partners are confident about the prospects there despite starting at a point where Americans know little about NZ.
The country’s image is positive but weak in relation to red meat, Beeby said.
There’s awareness but little knowledge.
About $4 million will be spent this year trying to change that.
In a video starring a small group of conscious foodies one said her thoughts of NZ were “koala bears and funny-talking people”.
However, others talked of open land and stock grazing on pasture in light mist (courtesy of Lord of the Rings).
Anzco sales general manager Rick Walker believes there will be pretty quick growth from Taste Pure Nature.
“I’m absolutely confident.”
Anzco, Alliance and Silver Fern Farms are shareholder in the NZ Lamb Company, one of five NZ companies licensed for the programme. The others are smaller beef exporters First Light and Angus Pure and lamb exporters Adkins Ranch and Coastal Spring Lamb.
The bigger players can work through NZ Lamb Co, now selling beef as well as lamb, but can also develop the concept for their own brands around the world.
That will be Anzco’s longer-term plan but it is 100% behind the Lamb Co’s conscious foodie business, Walker said.
There’s already imported, grass-fed premium beef being sold well in California and throughout the United States but most of it is from Australia. Chilled beef sales from there are about 21 times NZ levels and sheep meat sales more than double.
“They’ve taken better advantage of it,” Walker said.
“Our industry has done a poor job over the last 10 years but they’ve made a good story.
“We’re in catch-up mode to compete against them and we’ve got a true point of difference and a stronger story.”
Beeby said that showed out in Taste Pure Nature research where California consumers’ view of Australia is of big cities and deserts against the misty, open-space NZ pasture. That plays well with consumers’ desire for animals to be raised gently and lead happier, healthier lives.
When NZ’s farming systems were explained to the target groups they described them as organic.
“To others, our normal is profound,” he said in a presentation to B+LNZ’s annual meeting.
The campaign also highlights the Farm Assurance Programme and B+LNZ’s environment strategy.
Research shows California’s conscious foodies care where their meat comes from, look beyond price and reject the US factory-farming model, are mindful of the environment and care about animal welfare.
Origin of food is very important.
“NZ sheep and beef farmers raise their livestock incredibly well but we’re not in the consideration-set of these people. They’re not thinking about NZ, they don’t know about us and we have to make that connection.”
B+LNZ will digitally track the promotion to provide real-time information on what is working and what isn’t,to allow the programme to be adapted and refocused.
Conscious foodies are heavily influenced by digital channels, notably food websites and bloggers who focus on natural foods.
Taste Pure Nature will use digital sites to raise awareness of NZ, work to create a preference for NZ red meat and increase purchases of product.
Promotions will be designed to have an impact on the target group and not wasted on people who don’t care.
There is a wee bit of knowledge about NZ lamb but no-one knows NZ-beef, Beeby said.
A lot of NZ beef is blended with US product in the vast hamburger trade but it isn’t labelled NZ.
Taste Pure Nature is not just about the high value cuts like French rack, fillet and rib eye but will focus on getting higher value from all tiers of product.
Foodies will often be looking for convenience foods in shops and supermarkets, especially on week nights, but that doesn’t mean low value, he said.
The project is not timed to coincide with market doubts in Britain and Europe because of Brexit.
“Diversity in markets is a key for us and it’s helpful to be doing this now,” Beeby said.
British retailers have discounted NZ lamb to a level where it would be relatively challenging to move it up in price to an appropriate level .
The US and China are really important markets and the conscious foodies promotion will be expanded if the California programme is a success, with Shanghai a likely next location.
