2020. What a year it’s been.
And we couldn’t have made it through without you. So thank you.
It’s fair to say that 2020 has been one heck of a ride. Here, in New Zealand, we feel extremely lucky to now be in a position where, at the end of the year we feel reasonably safe and have managed so far, to have kept the virus under control.
Opening an office in Victoria at the start of the year was not the best timing and created some challenges and we had to get creative with activities such as site visits. However, after a lengthy lockdown, restrictions are easing and it’s positive to see Melbourne and Queensland opening their airports to New Zealand.
Before we take a break over the Christmas and New Year periods, we wanted to take the opportunity to show you some of the great things that have happened, even with the challenges Covid has brought and a snapshot into what’s happening in 2021.
We couldn’t have made it through without you. So thank you.
Adapt and Diversify
We’ve seen plenty of innovation in the food sector and the inquiries we receive are wide-ranging. From Mānuka honey & milk spread start-up OneTai, to artisan cheese company Cilantro Cheese to compostable food-based straws.
In the changing climate, we have seen a lot of businesses reformulating their products as they aim to improve certainty in the ingredients they source from over the world and work to reduce cost. The uncertainty of consistent access to ingredients imported from overseas is a driver behind reformulation requests.
As consumers move to prioritise foods that are immunity building and aid overall wellness, there is opportunity to expand current product lines and create export opportunities
Medical Kiwi
Produco has been heavily involved in the design, systems, application, liaison, and interaction with the Ministry of Health to get the facility to a stage where it was ready for on-site inspection and resulted in a satisfactory audit outcome. This allowed our client to continue with the next phase of their project and by meeting project deadlines, they continue to stay on target with the overall project.
Designing a security plan was also a role that Produco was engaged to complete. Security for this industry is much more stringent than other industries, which is due to the nature of the product inside. Security is now in place, and the equipment is being fitted for their first grow, which is on target to commence in January 2021.
The Ministry of Health have also approved the Medicinal Cannabis Licence and have now been granted approval to undertake the following three activities:
- Cultivation – Cultivate cannabis for use in a medicinal cannabis product
- Possess for Manufacture – Process dried cannabis, extract a cannabis-based ingredient, manufacture a medicinal cannabis product, or perform laboratory testing for product development purpose
- Supply – Supply starting material for export, cannabis-based ingredients, or medicinal cannabis products
Medical Kiwi can now commence their first commercial grow, so stay tuned next year and we will update you on progress.
Cilantro Cheese
Cilantro Cheese is a multi award-winning artisanal cheese company located in Hamilton. They specialise in goat’s milk and their products are handmade using traditional methods. They are now bottling the high-quality milk used to make their products.
It has been a milestone year for Cilantro Cheese with projects and milestones completed:
- RMP Registration successfully obtained
- RMP Evaluation audit, Heat Treatment audit and Premises Evaluation audits Successfully completed
- Organic Certification successfully gained
- Successfully completed first PBV audits, with acceptable audit outcomes
The Land of Milk and Honey
It’s exciting to be involved in a product from conception to completion and the journey with Onetai has been full spectrum.
These premium products use Mānuka Honey and Milk blended in a dulce-style spread. The uses are wide and include drizzling on toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and in smoothies to name a few that Liz from our team has tried.
Produco supported this venture by creating the Risk Management Programme. We then led the Operations Team through the regulatory requirements including the MPI approval process which encompassed validation, verification, and evaluation as well as managing the approval process to become a registered exporter.
Coupled with her substantial experience in sensory analysis, Liz was selected to be a product sampler for the chocolate, orange and original flavours throughout product development. Yum!
Introducing...Robyn-Anne Teal
We are very excited to have Robyn-Anne join the Produco team as Technical Support Manager. Here’s what she had to say about the role and a bit about herself…
“Produco seemed to tailor-make this position for me!”
I am an experienced professional who prior to this role, provided QA advice to the Horticulture Industry for the accreditation into NZGAP. I provided training, information transfer, documentation to meet industry standards, advice and internal audits. I also facilitated workshops for growers so that a sector can act as a group within the NZGAP scheme.
Working at Produco is my happy space being able to draw on my QA knowledge and understand the business activity.
I have experience that places me in a unique position combining experience in business systems across multi disciplines and my knowledge of quality assurance.
I have expertise in financial, business and strategy systems for large and small businesses across multi sectors.
Projects I have worked on include upgrade and development work, implementation of new software, some of which was custom built where I sat on the project team and assisted with defining the scope and flow.
Networking Events + Workshops
At Produco, we want to create an environment for Food Safety & Quality professionals to excel in their careers. Our Networking events have been a popular opportunity for like-minded people to meet and discuss themes that are both relevant and challenging. Even with Covid restrictions, we were able to host 2 events in Hamilton and held our first event in Christchurch in November.
Special thanks to our guest speakers throughout the year. We’ve covered Pest Management with Jon Thompson from Rentokil and Operator Verification with Jody Pedersen & Kylea Heaton from AsureQuality.
There’s some exciting events planned for 2021. Our first event to kick-start the new year is on Friday 26th February in Hamilton. Check out our schedule below for the full programme!
This year we extended our suite of training offerings with a 2-day Leading Culture in Quality Management Systems course. This is positioned at Quality Managers, Technical Managers and aspiring Quality Managers wanting to make the step up. Training is a large part of helping businesses upskill to be successful, reduce the cost of quality and improve productivity.
Here’s what people are saying about the course:
“The knowledge and background that Colin and his team have is exceptional and they have an amazing way of bringing all the participants together and delivering a course that keeps everyone engaged, with never a dull moment to spare. Highly recommend any course offered by Produco!”
Next year we are also introducing a 1-day Leading Culture in QMS for Quality Officers. The first offering is in May. Contact us if you’d like to learn more details.
| 26 February | Seminar | Hamilton |
| 10 March | Networking Event + Workshop | Auckland |
| 24 March | Product Recalls: workshop | FoodBowl, Auckland |
| 25 March | Successful Audits: workshop | FoodBowl, Auckland |
| 18 August | Networking Event + Workshop | Hamilton |
| 17 November | Networking Event + Workshop | Hamilton |
| 11 May | Quality Officers Leading Quality Culture course | Hamilton |
| 25-26 May | Quality Officers Leading Quality Culture course | Hamilton |
Lastly, and most of all, we wish you an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas and Summer break with your families and friends.
Most of us are taking a break, but we will be available to the clients that need us. We will be back at full capacity on 11 January 2021.
Meri Kirihimete,
Colin, Gemma, and the Produco team
