German group BayWa, which holds a controlling stake in New Zealand-based fresh produce exporter Turners & Growers (T&G), has suggested that it will move away from the conflicts T&G has had with kiwifruit marketer Zespri in recent years to concentrate on cooperation.
In the past, T&G has challenged Zespri's position as a single-desk kiwifruit exporter, using everything from promotional billboards highlighting to a court case claiming that Zespri was in breach of rules on commercial practice. The case was dismissed by the High Court last year, and T&G abandoned plans to appeal given pressure from the devastating impact of Psa on the country's kiwifruit industry.
However, newly-appointed chief executive Geoff Hipkins and chairman Klaus Lutz have indicated that they are ready to make a fresh start, starting with a meeting with Zespri executives on potential joint marketing strategies in Asia.
'We're going in there with an open mind,' Hipkins told New Zealand news service BusinessDesk. 'Let's see how we can work cooperatively in the marketplace.
'The industry is under extreme pressure. Let's not be cute or smart about the history,' he added.
Lutz told BusinessDesk that he did not necessarily share the views of the previous T&G regime, noting: 'I think we have to bury the history and look forward to cooperating with Zespri.'
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