Call to push New Zealand branding

There is no shortage of farmers who have visited Europe and returned with horror stories about the presentation of New Zealand lamb.

Arthur Mead said there was "little of anything" on product he saw in supermarket chillers indicating it had come from New Zealand, unless you looked closely.

The Milton farmer accepted his visit was outside New Zealand's main lamb export season, but when the New Zealand brand was displayed, it was in small writing.

At first glance, the lamb could have been Argentinian, he said, but branding supported by promotion was an area Mr Mead believed could be improved.

Much has been said about selling branded New Zealand meat and wool products, but experts say it requires more than just stamping a country of origin name on packaging.

Some meat and wool companies claim to be selling branded products, but University of Otago senior marketing lecturer Lisa McNeill said there was a difference between branding a product and putting a label on a packet.

A brand provided consumers with equity, assisting them in deciding which product to buy and satisfying concerns about quality, consistency and production methods, in a product form, was wanted.

"Just stamping a label on something and sending it off overseas is not branding," Dr McNeill said.

Whether companies are marketing and selling branded products depends on who you talk to.

Certainly, meat companies claim to be doing so, and Wool Partners International and Elders Primary Wool have, in recent years, launched brands which they are using to drive relationships with manufacturers and retailers.

What is happening with meat is a bit more obscure, but Anzco Foods has relationships with retailers and Silver Fern Farms has embarked on an integrated supply chain strategy linking consumers with producers and supplying consumer-ready products, both domestically and overseas.

Alliance Group has its Ashley and Pure South brands, which include individually packaged chilled and frozen lamb, mutton, venison and beef cuts for both retail and food service use as well as in carcass form.

Dr McNeill gave McDonald's and Coca-Cola as brands which had consumer loyalty and therefore commanded premium prices despite having fierce competition.

In contrast, the decision of a car buyer to switch brands was not one most took lightly, because they knew of the expected performance, reliability and after-sales service from the established brand - or its brand equity.

Given growing concerns about food quality, risk and animal welfare, Dr McNeill said New Zealand meat companies should have brands that built on New Zealand's international reputation for quality.

"It is important to have a strong brand strategy, one a customer can say `this is an appropriate product for me to buy.' "