NEWSLETTER 10 JUNE 2014 PAGE 1 Newsletter NORTHERN POULTRY CLUSTER LTD ABN 61 132 756 668 TURKEY GROW ERS REINVEST: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: STILL IN POULTRY Page The suitability of north central Victoria as Turkey Growers Reinvest 1 a location for poultry industry investment MacSnacks Make their Mark 1 New Role for NPC Chairman 2 has been further confirmed by new Socially Engaging Asia 2 supply contracts for many of the region’s Retirement for Outstanding Regional turkey growers. Poultry Industry Contributors 2 Following the winding down of Goldfields Turkeys processing plant in St Arnaud, NPC has been active in supporting regional turkey MACSNACKS MAKE THEIR growers to re-invest in poultry production with new supply arrangements. We are pleased to MARK be able to advise that several growers have upgraded their farm infrastructure, sheds and Moira Mac’s Poultry and Fine Foods has external areas in order to produce free range continued to show innovation in its focus on eggs or free range broilers. preservative free, chemical free, cooked, value added poultry products. Since the Most of the growers are also broadacre grain company invested in High Pressure farmers, and their involvement in the poultry Processing technology it has rapidly industry gives them a much more diversified expanded its range in Australian full service business base, and greater security. The supermarkets. With some support from NPC, recent Wimmera Mallee and East Loddon the company has further invested in pipeline projects have added water security to integrated cooked meat forming and the region’s other poultry industry strengths packaging equipment, and has launched a (such as bio-security, access to feed supplies snack range, ‘MacSnacks’. and regional supply chain linkages). Moira Mac has begun using the new equipment for the manufacture of its new branded snack range and for contract manufacturing. MacSnacks are cooked, heat- and-eat nutritious snacks such as bite sized portions, meat skewers and meat balls. Photo: Converting turkey rearing sheds to cater for free range layers, with raised flooring and layer boxes. Photo: Moira Mac’s High Pressure Processing System JUNE 2014 PAGE 2 Newsletter To contact NPC: NEW ROLE FOR NPC Phone Wayne Street on 03 5428 1488 CHAIRMAN Email: [email protected] Web: www.northernpoultry.com.au NPC’s Chairman, Dr Greg Underwood has RETIREMENT FOR moved on to a new role after completing RETIREMENT FOR his tenure with Hy-Line (Australia) Pty Ltd, OUTSTANDING REGIONAL during which the company experienced POULTRY INDUSTRY rapid growth and consolidated its position CONTRIBUTORS as Australia’s largest genetically elite stock supplier to the table egg industry. After owning and operating Glenloth Game and Glenloth Free Range for Greg is now working as Group Research around 25 years, Ian and Ronda Milburn and Development Manager with have decided to begin their (long Bioproperties Pty Ltd, a leading Australian overdue) retirement in nearby novel vaccine research company, Wycheproof. manufacturer and global supplier of live vaccines to the poultry industry and other Glenloth Free Range established its intensive livestock sectors. Greg is also reputation as a supplier of gourmet able to assist regional and other Australian poultry products to the food service poultry businesses with technical and industry from the late 1980s. Celebrity business development advice, and we chefs in Melbourne and other major hope to continue his involvement with NPC cities, such as Stephanie Alexander and and specific projects. Jacques Reymond, have been great advocates for Glenloth products over S OCIALLY ENGAGING ASIA many years. Ian’s commitment to free range principles and a meticulous grains NPC was one of 27 member-based business based feed regime helped the company organisations awarded financial support to to differentiate its products for quality help expand its networks in Asia under the conscious customers. Australian Government’s ‘Asian Business Glenloth Game began as a small Engagement’ plan. processing and marketing business for squab, and expanded, at various times, The project was designed to build on the to process free range chicken, ducks, successful Champions Fare Regional Food emu, venison, and pheasant. At one initiative, by extending the concept to select stage, Glenloth was the largest private Asian markets. After discussions with the sector employer in Buloke Shire, and export consolidator (Bemco Australia) and was an award winning business with retail supermarkets in China, Singapore and frequent positive attention from the Hong Kong, the feedback suggested that a media. selection of new products in a retail environment was not of interest. However, The Glenloth business has been sold to a there was enthusiasm for a social media, new operator; more on this development digital marketing program in China, using in future news updates. China’s equivalent to Facebook, called Weibo. Congratulations to Ian and Ronda on their many achievements. We look The project is creating a digital marketing forward to keeping in contact during offer which meets slightly premium price your retirement. points, includes value-adds (such as product/supplier stories, recipes, and video clips which link the product to giveaways and points of difference), and encompasses elements of well-being and other health attributes. Some of the businesses involved in Champions Fare are participating as well as a few other regional suppliers with export experience. .