November Update

As we approach Christmas, we tend to get a number of enquiries about how to find New Zealand born and raised ham.?

At NZPork, we’re always urging Kiwis ordering their Christmas ham to check the pork is actually from New Zealand.

More than 60 per cent of the pork products consumed in New Zealand is imported from overseas, and for cured products such as bacon and ham, it’s even higher. A lot of imported pork is produced using practices illegal in New Zealand and no Kiwi wants to think about that over Christmas.

I spoke with stuff.co.nz about Christmas hams recently and explained what New Zealanders should look for if they want pork that is a cut above the rest.

The “100% New Zealand" and PigCare? labels on New Zealand pork provide an assurance to consumers that they are 'buying local'. New Zealanders know they are supporting Kiwi farmers and purchasing pork raised to high levels of animal welfare.

New Zealand’s pork sector certainly has a great story to tell – look no further than Foxton farmer Jim Mather.

While Auckland’s Westmere Butchery won the highly coveted Supreme Award in the 2022 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards recently, the journey back along the supply chain to discover the provenance of the champion ham led to Jim Mather’s family farm.

All of our farmers share the same passion and dedication shown by Jim towards his pigs and that’s something we’re very proud of.

It turns out New Zealand’s butchers are pretty proud of New Zealand’s farmed pork too. New World Te Rapa's pork sausage was joint winner of this year’s Supreme Award at the 2022 Great New Zealand Sausage competition. The only secret to the creation of the sausages that butchery apprentice Porsche Davis is prepared to reveal -?“They’re New Zealand pork, that’s all you need to know!”

And lastly, NZPork was an award sponsor at the National Butchery awards with Jeremy Garth of Corey’s Master Butchers taking out the Best Pork Product award. I was particularly happy to be able to present the award to Jeremy as I often visit his mobile butchery, which appears at our local fruit-and-vege shop every weekend.

If you want to know how NZPork can help you or your business to promote New Zealand born and raised pork in your stores or services, please check out our website here or get in touch via [email protected]

Brent Kleiss, NZPork Chief Executive