New Zealand is finally coming out of a long winter and looking forward to warmer temperatures and sunnier skies. It has been one of the wettest winters on record here, which has made it hard on our Maimoa farmers across the country. New season lambing is now well underway and the silver lining of such a wet season is that there is plenty of moisture in the soil to help with grass growth as the warmth of spring starts to take hold. That bodes well for a bumper season ahead and we look forward to supplying you with more of New Zealand’s finest lamb in the coming weeks and months.

I have had the chance to spend time in the US, Europe and UK over recent weeks. It was great to see Maimoa lamb in distributors coldstores ready to be sent to our Chefs, as well as seeing it on restaurant menus and being ordered by our final consumers. I had the chance to taste some of our frenched racks and heart of rump with one of our UK customers and it was sensational – a great reminder what a special product we have and what a privilege it is to be associated with the brand. The other takeaway from my travels was how hard it is in many parts of the world right now thanks to rising inflation, general economic headwinds and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. We certainly will look to work with you and your customers to make sure that Maimoa lamb remains a cornerstone of your business during this challenging period. I remain quietly optimistic that as 2023 unfolds we will turn another corner and I look forward to a more positive view of the world when I next get the chance to visit these markets.