Tegel Invests $20 Million to Grow Major New Export Markets   3 Oct 2012

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Left to Right Prime Minister John Key & Tegel CEO Andrew Stevens

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Tegel Foods today officially opened a new $20 million production line at its Henderson plant to harness extensive growth opportunities in New Zealand and internationally for its chicken products.

The value-added processing line has created more than 300 new jobs throughout the company and will enable Tegel to supply cooked chicken products to Australia, Japan and other emerging export markets, as well as increase supply domestically.

Welcoming Prime Minister John Key to the line’s official opening, Tegel’s chief executive Andrew Stevens said the expansion at Henderson reflected worldwide demand for high quality, healthy, value-added chicken.

“New Zealand’s strict bio-security controls and food safety regulations have earned us a reputation for producing the world’s safest chicken and that, in turn, has boosted orders globally for Tegel products.

“New Zealand is unique in the world in being free from all the major chicken diseases. Our geographic isolation and strict biosecurity controls keep New Zealand chickens the healthiest in the world.”

Stevens said the company had invested $20 million on the state-of-the-art third processing line at Henderson to make highly-specialised value-added chicken products including Tegel’s ever popular Tempura Battered Nuggets, Take Outs & Cuisine ranges.

“Export sales of Tegel’s fully cooked, value added chicken products have doubled in the past two years and the new line will allow us to meet growth opportunities in Australia, Japan and beyond. 350 tonnes of chicken will be processed each week through the plant with international sales on track to exceed $100m in the next 12 months.”

Tegel employs 2000 people throughout the country, with export growth resulting in increased staff numbers across all sites.

“We are already a major contributor to the local and national economy and are anticipating considerable further growth in the next two to three years, which will bring in millions of dollars to New Zealand.”

Stevens said Tegel’s emerging markets included China and the Middle East and it was quite possible another 600 to 700 jobs could be created across Tegel’s three New Zealand plants if the strong demand continues as expected.

“This is a great example of combining our strength in Primary Industry with high tech engineering and food technology to create high value exports.”

- Ends -

Note to readers:

Tegel Foods is an iconic and trusted New Zealand company with a proud history of bringing high quality poultry products to the plates of New Zealanders for over 50 years. The Tegel journey began in 1960 with a very small product range and has grown to the international business of today, with over 1200 product lines to deliver on the needs of our customers.

Tegel has a strong, international customer base across all channels of QSR, Foodservice & Retail. Logistics is run on ground in our international markets, so our customers can rely on the same quality service & delivery as our New Zealand customers continually experience. Our dedicated team of Sales & Logistics experts ensure seamless continuity of business. Tegel’s international division includes our branded and non-branded business in Japan, Australia, the Pacific and Asia regions, including manufacturing for a role call of international brands.

Tegel’s sophisticated and highly automated facilities meet the highest food safety standards across all processing functions. Tegel operate under strict New Zealand Government food safety requirements, and are audited by NZFSA and other independent regulatory bodies to ensure full compliance with all food safety regulations.

Tegel Chicken is 100% Pure & Natural New Zealand Chicken, raised in open plan barns, with a high quality grain rich diet. Tegel proudly delivers pure & natural healthy chicken that is:

• Free from growth hormones

• Barn raised (cage free)

• Grain Fed

• Free from any injections or immunisations

New Zealand’s strict bio-security controls, quality control processes and geographic isolation have resulted in a unique animal disease-free status. This guarantees freedom from the major world wide avian diseases:

• Free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

• Free from Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD)

• Free from Newcastle Disease

In addition, Tegel has world leading bio-security practices, making Tegel chicken the safest chicken in the world.

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