Awards season is coming and the Wellington Export Awards and the Auckland/Waikato Awards are open for entries are – so we encourage exporters to enter.  Great for profile and great for judges feedback. 

Also don’t miss out on our Government Procurement seminar if you sell to Government or you want to sell to Government, see below for details. A $41 billion annual spend and a new approach means new opportunities.

Catherine Beard

027 463 3212 or cbeard@exportnz.org.nz

In this month's trade update, the CPTPP is up and running and that it is likely to get bigger.

Negotiations with the EU continue.  This negotiation is far more difficult than some seem to think.

Uncertainty over the shape and timing of any Brexit remains. Until this is known it remains unclear as to whether the UK can negotiate FTAs with other economies independent from the EU.

There is much speculation in the media on the state of the New Zealand-China relationship.  It does seem as though there are some challenges on the political front.  But there is very little evidence to suggest that these differences are going to flow over into the wider trade and economic relationship.
More...

Current state of play

The UK government continues discussions with the EU on seeking changes to the Irish backstop. Media reports that Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to continue with this current strategy which may result in the House of Commons having to choose between the deal vs no deal.

The next UK Parliament milestone is 26/27 February when Parliament will vote on the latest Brexit motion – a next steps vote on the Brexit process (unless a meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Bill is brought prior to the date).

A second meaningful vote could be delayed late into March. The UK remains scheduled (under UK law) to leave the EU on 29 March.
How you can prepare for Brexit here ->> 

ExportNZ recently released our 2018 annual survey of exporters

Over 400 exporters responded to the survey and they were a good mix of small to medium to larger exporters. When asked what their major barriers to exporting were, the number one concern this year was “domestic regulation, e.g. upcoming changes to the industrial relations laws”.

In order to understand this better, we have interviewed some SME exporters and horticulturalists.
View the report here ->>

At this seminar, you will hear from the leading practitioners of strategic procurement in Government, how they operate and what they are seeking from the supplier community.

You will also hear about a pivot in priorities from Government – to ensure procurement decisions take into account economic, innovative, social and environmental outcomes for New Zealand. |

Come along and hear about the opportunities and what it takes to be successful with the new breed of procurement manager.
Register here->>

As part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiations for a free trade agreement with the European Union, the EU has presented New Zealand with a list of names which are protected in the EU as geographical indications or GIs.

The EU is looking for New Zealand to recognise and protect these names as GIs.

MFAT is seeking submissions on the EU’s list of wine, spirits and food product names they want recognised and protected in New Zealand.

There is also an opportunity for New Zealand to provide the EU with a list of New Zealand product names for consideration as geographical indications.
More...

The board of New Zealand’s leading freight management business, Coda Group, has appointed Gerard Morrison to the role of Chief Executive.

Coda Group Chairman Sir Dryden Spring said Mr Morrison brings extensive logistics experience with a deep understanding of the challenges to ensure New Zealand business remains connected to global trade. 
More...

High and stable venison and velvet prices have been reflected in strong demand for stags with a top price of $155,000 paid for a velvet-trophy animal sold by Crowley Deer from Hamilton.

It was not alone in achieving phenomenal prices either. High prices across the board and high demand show the industry is enjoying a golden patch fuelled by high and stable venison and velvet prices; plus farmers are investing in herd genetics.

Markets for venison and velvet have diversified, exporters are dealing less with traders and the United States is now a stable, key, year-round venison market.

Deer Farmers Association chairman John Somerville said, “Farmers are cashed up, they know where they are, which makes quite a difference, and that is driving investment.” More... 

Without a healthy planet to enjoy, what do we have?

Duncan Forbes, founder of Go Native which makes natural fruit bars and meals for the active outdoors market, says it’s a natural fit for the company to team up with Sustainable Coastlines to turn used sails into aprons and tote bags.

Duncan and his wife came back to NZ after 9 years in the UK with the ambition to set up a food brand that really captures the best of NZ produce and exports it around the world.

Through a mutual friend, they met fellow outdoors adventurer and now business partner Garth McIntyre, who already had a business feeding emergency and defense forces.

After a discussion about the lack of quality, natural food products for active people, the trio hatched a plan to launch Go Native. The aim was to create enjoyable, natural food for everyone from Olympians to everyday outdoors adventurers. More...

C Beard

GS1 New Zealand proudly presents Connect 2019: eCommerce Innovation Summit, Thursday 11 April at the Grand Millennium Auckland.

Connect 2019 will deliver an impressive line up of market-leading companies at the forefront of thought leadership in business, and their insights will be the ideas that shape our future. Featuring Google, Foodstuffs, Amazon and the Father of 'The Internet of Things’ Kevin Ashton.

GS1 New Zealand also celebrates its’ 40th anniversary this year and looks back at how a small technological innovation had mammoth changes to the way the world does business and looks to the future innovations that are changing the business of tomorrow.

Register for Connect 2019 now!

Conference details
Date:  Thursday 11 April 2019
Venue:  Grand Millennium, Auckland
Time:  7am Registration for 7.30am Start
Agenda:  View the agenda
Register here ->>

David Kerr is a landscape photographer and last year he published ‘Quintessential New Zealand’ primarily as a client gift.

Packed full of New Zealand’s stunning landscapes with a twist on our ‘Kiwiana’ culture, the book size is 285mm x 285mm contemporary square format with 144 pages case bound.

Each book is supplied with a stunning presentation case and can be exclusively personalised/branded in the inside front page making it the ideal gift for your customers, for you to sell 'the New Zealand story’ to the world.

For further enquiries, please contact David Kerr direct either
email: david@dkinc.co.nz. or on Mobile: 0274 750 725
View a preview here...

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