November 22, 2010

New Zealand eggs enter Asia
 

The country's biggest cage-free egg producer is entering Singapore and Hong Kong markets and anticipates having eggs in supermarkets by the New Year.

Masterton-based Henergy is expecting to sell 2,000 dozen weekly to the two new markets after the paperwork is signed between New Zealand Food Safety and Asian food authorities.

Chief executive, Darren Perry, said it was a big step in their overseas expansion and there was huge demand for cage-free eggs in Asia.

The company was opening up new markets while increasing its capacity massively at its Masterton farm where it increased its hens from 48,000-85,000 in the previous year.

Mr Perry said the company was pouncing before an expected legislative change stopped battery-cage farming of chickens.

Europe was stopping battery-farms by 2012 and New Zealand was expected to follow suit.

The company had spent more than NZ$5 (US$3.89) million on three 12,000-strong new barns in the previous year and is intending to build another three, bringing their total capacity to 188,000 chickens.

Mr Perry said the company was on track to have yearly turnover of NZ$10 million (US$7.77 million) and they still perceived huge development in the local market, which only produces 20% of its eggs from cage-free farming.