PPCS Consolidates North American Lamb Marketing

June 22, 2007 - PPCS Limited is consolidating its North American lamb marketing into the New Zealand Lamb group of companies, a consortium of New Zealand meat exporters. PPCS chairman Reese Hart said that the company's decision to merge its existing U.S. marketing operations into the consortium will benefit New Zealand and PPCS.

"We see this as a positive step for PPCS, the New Zealand lamb companies and New Zealand farmers. Through greater coordination in the international marketplace, we can maximize returns for New Zealand lamb exports into the U.S. and Canada," said Hart.

PPCS has a 31.5 percent shareholding in the consortium alongside Alliance and ANZCO Foods.

The consortium markets lamb and mutton in the United States and Canada under the New Zealand Lamb and New Zealand Spring Lamb brands. Under the planned consolidation, PPCS will market 100 percent of its lamb and mutton supply into North American via the New Zealand lamb companies. Previously, PPCS marketed lamb to these countries through an independent office, PPCS USA, based in New Jersey, under both its own brands and via the New Zealand Lamb companies. Hart said that the move will strengthen New Zealand's lamb exports into North America and may well form the basis of a marketing model for other markets.

"PPCS aims to increase its supply of lamb and mutton into North America through the New Zealand Lamb companies," continued Hart. "Additional supply from PPCS will also enhance continuity of year-round supply for the New Zealand Lamb companies' large retail and food service customers.

PPCS is a New Zealand meat-marketing company, exporting sheepmeat, beef, venison and associated products to about 60 countries. With the recent amalgamation of Richmond, the combined group turns more than $2 billion and accounts for 37 percent of New Zealand's sheepmeat exports, 35 percent of beef exports and 54 percent of venison exports.

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