FORWARD Insight & Strategy’s Post

The Common Ground is a silo-breaker.   A collaboration platform where Aotearoa New Zealand’s food & fibre sector comes together to solve our wicked problems and seize big opportunities.   Presented in partnership between AGMARDT and KPMG New Zealand, The Common Ground starts with a call for sector-wide feedback – including yours.   Could you see yourself or organisation as part of a Community of Action tackling a ‘wicked’ problem facing all producers?   What’s your vision for a future-fit industry good system for the food & fibre sector?   Let us know in the comments and head to www.thecommonground.org.nz to learn more.

Is a garage just for parking? https://lnkd.in/gF7S5NpY Not sure about the British results! ;-) but I can definitely relate to what New Zealanders do with their garages. As researchers, zooming into people lives to understand in depth the unusual-usual uses of our everyday spaces is always fascinating. The simple insight on how Kiwis live in and around their garages, use these as offices, spare rooms or retrieve to their garages to find a quite space for their hobbies is going to be very helpful for Ikea product optimization in the New Zealand environment. @Marketers, Producers, Innovators, how deeply do you truly understand your consumers/customers/shoppers/people? Is a garage just for parking?

I am thrilled to share that I will be speaking at the #Asiafruitknowledgecentre event in Hong Kong on Thursday, September 5th. Join me from 11:30 to 12:00 as I delve into how Sensory Research supports varietal success in the produce category, particularly in capturing the hearts of Asian consumers. I'll be discussing the significance of this research method in identifying winning varieties throughout breeding programs, covering how it works, key factors to consider, and the associated benefits. Looking forward to an insightful session with a lineup of exceptional presenters. See you there! 😁 Learn more about the event agenda here: https://lnkd.in/gRuHArxM

This comment caught my attention during my week of eating and meeting my way from Shanghai to Beijing: "If there is anyone who is going to meet their emissions targets, you can bet it will be China". I think this tells a story about how China operates that should get NZ primary sector businesses and exporters thinking... --- ⏭ When a direction is set, change happens at pace. 🇨🇳 Top-down government policy sets clear path forward. Public and private sectors move quickly to respond. 🌏 Government is increasingly focused upon sustainability broadly to meet 2030 peak and 2060 net zero targets, with ripple effects across business and society. 📲 Consumer preferences shift rapidly - influenced massively by social media, trends evolve constantly and companies have to be extremely agile to stay competitive. 🌗 Paradoxes are the norm. While many consumers may not have sustainability at the front of mind yet, this doesn't mean others are not strongly engaged and shifting quickly. We need to look to the fringes to understand where China will go in the future. 🥝 The implications for New Zealand farmers, producers, innovators and exporters? It seems to me that in China, businesses need to be extremely proactive to capitalise upon any opportunity. Let's keep asking ourselves how we can stay ahead of the game in to serve the fast-evolving sustainability expectations of our largest export market. Let's not wait for demand to evolve further - by that stage, we need to have already positioned ourselves as a clear leader. --- Hey, I'm Ellie 👋 With FORWARD Insight & Strategy, I work globally with primary sector businesses to build value for great produce, through better understanding what connects with people. I'm on a mission to support environmental, social and economic sustainability across the food and fibre sector. Let's work together to make it happen. 🌱 Massive thanks to the New Zealand China Council and North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence for an outstanding experience in China.

The New Zealand China Council Te Kaunihera o Aotearoa me Haina is excited to return to China on 22-26 April, co-leading a Sustainable Food Study Tour with our colleagues at North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence   -             How much do we know about Chinese government strategies and intentions for sustainable food, now and in the future -             How are local food producers responding?   -             Is local consumer sentiment evolving?   -             Are ‘future foods’ like alt protein a big part of the market landscape in China these days?   -             How can New Zealand food producers benefit from sustainable food partnerships with China, and what are the challenges for our existing trade?   We’ll be visiting New Zealand and Chinese companies, retail outlets, sector bodies, future food entrepreneurs and research institutes in Shanghai, Kunshan and Beijing, to seek answers to these and other questions that are top of mind in this fast-moving area. Our programme will seek to validate and extend research the Council published last December surveying China’s likely policy and strategy directions – available here https://lnkd.in/gXhFVdty   A warm welcome to the strong mix of experienced and emerging food sector professionals joining our China team alongside our Council’s Executive Director Alistair Crozier and the North Asia CAPE’s Liyang M.:   Dr Victoria Hatton, FoodHQ Sarita Males, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited Ashlin Chand, Meat Industry Association of New Zealand Cleo Gilmour, LILO Desserts Ellie Copeland, FORWARD Insight & Strategy Chris Beatson, Agri Magic Louis Batley, AgFirst Maggie Peacock, Fruitful Packaging Terence Muru, Natural Natives We’ll be posting daily updates. And look out for thoughts and info on what we found after the visit, on our website. https://lnkd.in/gTqDw4gw #sustainablefood #futurefood #China #altprotein #agriculture #studytour #policy #market #insights #agrifood #nzfood #export #nzchina

I couldn't help myself but to join our friends Equifruit! in their support of local communities. We strongly believe that growers deserve recognition for their relentless efforts, and we are passionate about supporting this movement. We know that many in the produce industry share this sentiment, and we are proud to be a part of it. Let's continue to support our fellow growers and ensure they get the recognition they deserve! #bananabadass #producemarketing #growersgottagetpaid FORWARD Insight & Strategy

Curious about the latest dietary trends? According to our recent survey of the USA adult population, Low Carb diets and intermittent fasting are leading the way in March 24. As a consumer insights specialist, I find the impact of dietary trends on produce and protein fascinating. When carbs are replaced by protein and vitamins, specific meats and seafood benefit, as well as a tight group of fruits and vegetables. But, have you noticed that produce brands are not embracing these trends strongly? Wouldn't it make sense for brands to leverage these trends? 🤔 Imagine if we marketed the best fruit to interrupt your fasting or digest all that protein!? #dietarytrends #lowcarb #intermittentfasting #nutrition #healthylifestyle #producemarketing

🔔 Opportunity: Sustainable Food study tour to China. The North Asia CAPE in partnership with the New Zealand China Council invites emerging business leaders in Aotearoa to participate in a funded study tour to China with a focus on the sustainable food sector in April 2024. For more info:https://lnkd.in/gJhyEXQb Applications close on : 19th Feb 2024 #China #NZ #sustainability #food #futurefood #foodtechnology #foodscience #nzexport #studytour #business #northasiacape #nacape #nzchinacouncil

Producers, Marketers, Innovators - Amazing texture and delicate sweet taste make one of our favorite varieties the success that it is. Yet, the brand and its execution make it fly off the shelf! Remember that a great product + optimized positioning + secret ingredients ;-) = success! Read here about T&G Global Limited ENVY APPLES in the USA and their double-digit growth in the USA market. Thanks to the fab team of Rebecca Chapman, Emma Cook and Cecilia Flores Paez. https://lnkd.in/gsnytghR