Call to improve export lamb marketing strategy

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 14

Call to improve export lamb marketing strategy

PA Wellington Sustaining New Zealand’s lamb market in Europe and Norfh America meant giving continued attention to Saration, promotion and aging, the Abattoirs’ Association Conference was told. The Cryovac marketing manager of W. R. Grace (N.Z.), Ltd, Mr Graham Bainbridge, said the elimination of commodity traders was a feature of the growing lamb-cut trade. Most lamb cutting could be done economically in New Zealand to a specification to suit the overseas buyer. “By cutting the carcases chilled, and then freezing, we can achieve dramatically improved retail colour,” Mr Bainbridge said. He predicted that by the end of 1985, more than 50 per cent of the New Zealand lamb-cut trade in the United Kingdom would be

in vacuum packages. “There are equivalent examples in all other parts of Europe. Germany will be 100 per cent vacuum-pack-aged lamb by the end of 1985.”

Mr Bainbridge said there had been a jump in the quality of New Zealand packages reaching the European market over the last two years. Improved labels and cutting had had a significant influence.

“This general improvement of New Zealand lamb products from overwrap to vacuum packages will be a feature of world markets, including the United States and Canada where, despite the attention from time to time to chill products, there still remains a large frozen meat market for the right products—as yet relatively untapped. "Rising lamb production in South America will need to be countered by strict attention to detail, quality

and leanness assurance,” he said. “There will be opportunities for growth in Japan, South Asia, and East Asis that will demand specialist cuts which we have yet to satisfy.” He emphasised that lamb was not a preferred meat, and a big education programme was required. Speaking of future meat marketing trends, Mr Bainbridge said that the “white” meat impact would lead to leaner, more highly trimmed meat being exported—both beef and lamb.