ENTER CHINA
January 2009 to December 2009
We studied and tested China for ten years before entering or investing there. NZKS had a high value and
perishable premium product and, although large, China only emerged recently as desiring high priced
delicacies. We researched various options and chose a strong partner we could trust and who would carry our
brand well. The next step is to make sure we can match demand with supply while keeping the supply chain
balanced. Time will tell.
We studied and tested China for ten years before entering or investing there. NZKS had a high value and
perishable premium product and, although large, China only emerged recently as desiring high priced
delicacies. We researched various options and chose a strong partner we could trust and who would carry our
brand well. The next step is to make sure we can match demand with supply while keeping the supply chain
balanced. Time will tell.
ENTER EUROPE
1991-1993
After acquiring the assets of its biggest competitor (Fletcher Fishing), Sealord decided to expand its marketing and sales into new
markets. European retail and foodservice channels were investigated and a strategy set which Don executed.
The project ended with the company obtaining a UK seafood processing facility and sales offices in Europe.
After acquiring the assets of its biggest competitor (Fletcher Fishing), Sealord decided to expand its marketing and sales into new
markets. European retail and foodservice channels were investigated and a strategy set which Don executed.
The project ended with the company obtaining a UK seafood processing facility and sales offices in Europe.
DEVELOP NEW CHANNELS IN NEW ZEALAND
May 1996- June 1997
After two years of growth, destructive competition, acquiring NZKS's biggest competitor and recapitalising the
company we embarked on building a whole new retail category for fresh salmon and branded packaged
smoked salmon in New Zealand, and developing the hospitality food service trade. To be a good exporter it
was obviously important to secure the home market first.. We hired marketing managers, sales managers,
created a telesales and customer service call centre, spent significant money on TV and magazine advertising
and PR. We pushed into new product development, established our own distribution direct to store, and
repositioned the whole company behind daily fresh delivery with 24 hour order cycles every weekday. It
worked
After two years of growth, destructive competition, acquiring NZKS's biggest competitor and recapitalising the
company we embarked on building a whole new retail category for fresh salmon and branded packaged
smoked salmon in New Zealand, and developing the hospitality food service trade. To be a good exporter it
was obviously important to secure the home market first.. We hired marketing managers, sales managers,
created a telesales and customer service call centre, spent significant money on TV and magazine advertising
and PR. We pushed into new product development, established our own distribution direct to store, and
repositioned the whole company behind daily fresh delivery with 24 hour order cycles every weekday. It
worked
BUILD TEAM IN JAPAN
June 2010 to December 2010
After exporting in a traditional way since early days and after building teams in NZ, Australia and USA we
were ready to build a sales team for NZKS in Japan. This is a most interesting market and must be handled with
cultural care. We chose a local Japanese with a local New Zealander. It will take time for the level of
penetration into the retail and foodservice channels but progress is occurring. A well executed project based
on years of experience and good research. Great team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj7fKHeCcbk
http://www.idealog.co.nz/news/2012/04/nz-king-salmon-out-capture-japanese-hearts
After exporting in a traditional way since early days and after building teams in NZ, Australia and USA we
were ready to build a sales team for NZKS in Japan. This is a most interesting market and must be handled with
cultural care. We chose a local Japanese with a local New Zealander. It will take time for the level of
penetration into the retail and foodservice channels but progress is occurring. A well executed project based
on years of experience and good research. Great team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj7fKHeCcbk
http://www.idealog.co.nz/news/2012/04/nz-king-salmon-out-capture-japanese-hearts
BUILD SALES TEAM IN AUSTRALIA
January 2005 to July 2005
Project Flying Fish was preceded by five years of building revenues with various partners. NZKS established a
project team from across the company and hired an Australian manager tasked with hiring staff in a depot and
sales office in Sydney, with managers in each state. Project highly successful- with great revenues flowing
since. Subsequent fine tuning has improved company position even better since. Fine team effort against and
around some obstacles!
ENTER US FOODSERVICE CHANNEL AND BUILD SALES TEAM
January 2010 to March 2010
After 15 years of occasional export trade into the USA NZKS decided to really begin some marketing and
established a project team to hire staff in the US. We worked with consultants to work options and chose the
best solution possible. A very rewarding project because we ended up with great people who continue to
build brands there.
http://kingsalmon.co.nz/consumer-needs-lead-export-success-for-salmon-prod/index.html
After 15 years of occasional export trade into the USA NZKS decided to really begin some marketing and
established a project team to hire staff in the US. We worked with consultants to work options and chose the
best solution possible. A very rewarding project because we ended up with great people who continue to
build brands there.
http://kingsalmon.co.nz/consumer-needs-lead-export-success-for-salmon-prod/index.html
FIND NEW SHAREHOLDERS AND CAPITAL
January 2008 to May 2008
After five years of steady growth in sales NZKS were facing capacity constraints in supply so needed more
production. The existing shareholder was otherwise occupied with other commitments so required us to use a
corporate bank to show the business, selling half to one of four interested parties. We did due diligence,
answered a million questions and successfully introduced new shareholders to the company. A very
interesting project with long term implications.
http://www.directcapital.co.nz/Investments.aspx
After five years of steady growth in sales NZKS were facing capacity constraints in supply so needed more
production. The existing shareholder was otherwise occupied with other commitments so required us to use a
corporate bank to show the business, selling half to one of four interested parties. We did due diligence,
answered a million questions and successfully introduced new shareholders to the company. A very
interesting project with long term implications.
http://www.directcapital.co.nz/Investments.aspx
NUTRIGENOMICS
September 2008 to present
NZKS had been studying the natural properties of our product using traditional scientific methods since 2000.
In 2008 we were introduced to nutrigenomics as a new scientific set of methods to study the effect of our
product on human gene expression.http://www.nutrigenomics.org.nz/about-us/governance
NZKS had been studying the natural properties of our product using traditional scientific methods since 2000.
In 2008 we were introduced to nutrigenomics as a new scientific set of methods to study the effect of our
product on human gene expression.http://www.nutrigenomics.org.nz/about-us/governance
OMEGA 3 CENTRE
January 2004 to January 2005
NZ king salmon as a species has a very high level of DHA and EPA or long chain polyunsaturated fats. NZKS
had worked with New Zealand universities to establish this fact, and funded research into bio-availability,
synergistic effects with vitamin D and Se. We worked with nutritionists to have a proposed change to the
Food Standards permitted which would allow general and high level claims, and we became interested in
promoting good science and public awareness around Omega 3s. In 2005 we established a promotional body,
the Omega 3 Centre to give credibility and obtain Australian support for research and regulatory change. The
work continues.
http://www.omega-3centre.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=1&Itemid=13
NZ king salmon as a species has a very high level of DHA and EPA or long chain polyunsaturated fats. NZKS
had worked with New Zealand universities to establish this fact, and funded research into bio-availability,
synergistic effects with vitamin D and Se. We worked with nutritionists to have a proposed change to the
Food Standards permitted which would allow general and high level claims, and we became interested in
promoting good science and public awareness around Omega 3s. In 2005 we established a promotional body,
the Omega 3 Centre to give credibility and obtain Australian support for research and regulatory change. The
work continues.
http://www.omega-3centre.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=1&Itemid=13
IMPLEMENT MOVEX ERP SYSTEM
January 2000 to December 2011
The biggest ERP implementation was NZKS's first: Movex from Intentia. Not easy. We started from scratch with
a big bang and threw out the legacy systems. Two years of careful preparation and planning with a big
budget and international experts did not prevent one of the most difficult go-lives in history. Slowly a new
system emerged and a solid IT structure was built, and more importantly a great team spirit carried us
through.
The biggest ERP implementation was NZKS's first: Movex from Intentia. Not easy. We started from scratch with
a big bang and threw out the legacy systems. Two years of careful preparation and planning with a big
budget and international experts did not prevent one of the most difficult go-lives in history. Slowly a new
system emerged and a solid IT structure was built, and more importantly a great team spirit carried us
through.
CRM SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
January 2011 to June 2011
NZKS studied the best CRM systems during 2010 after studying CRM since 2005. We chose MS Dynamics
because it works well with MS Outlook, and integrated well with M3 and Oracle Hyperion BI tools. We
aimed at it being the best ICT implementation in the company's history. It was. Great results delivered in
full, on time and within budget. Capability now much improved and relationships deliver value.
http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/spot/nz-king-salmon-takes-100m-business-to-the-cloud
IMPLEMENT ORACLE'S HYPERION BI SYSTEM
January 2004 to May 2004
A smaller ICT project which delivered great value for NZKS. After M3 was painfully implemented we had good core
data but we could not see it or use much. A business intelligence tool was needed. Hyperion was great,
chosen for its ability to slice and dice and very functional in the hands of relative novices.
http://www.indigo.co.nz/case-study-new-zealand-king-salmon.php
A smaller ICT project which delivered great value for NZKS. After M3 was painfully implemented we had good core
data but we could not see it or use much. A business intelligence tool was needed. Hyperion was great,
chosen for its ability to slice and dice and very functional in the hands of relative novices.
http://www.indigo.co.nz/case-study-new-zealand-king-salmon.php
SALES AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING
January 2009 to December 2011
S&OP was a slow project to bed down while NZKS attended to teamwork, demand planning, lean, product
development and operational excellence. It became vital to get right as the rest of the projects started to
demand better data and planning. Eventually we got there.
S&OP was a slow project to bed down while NZKS attended to teamwork, demand planning, lean, product
development and operational excellence. It became vital to get right as the rest of the projects started to
demand better data and planning. Eventually we got there.
LEAN MANUFACTURING
September 2009 to Present
NZKS started talking about a new way of doing things to eliminate waste in 2007. In 2009 we established a
cross-functional team to improve team work in readiness then proceeded with a steering team approach across
production, processing, distribution and then marketing, administration and sales. We implemented, 5S, JIT,
VPM, 5 minute meetings, sensei visits, kaizen, kaikakus... the whole lot. A fascinating study into motivation
and behaviour! Great results.
NZKS started talking about a new way of doing things to eliminate waste in 2007. In 2009 we established a
cross-functional team to improve team work in readiness then proceeded with a steering team approach across
production, processing, distribution and then marketing, administration and sales. We implemented, 5S, JIT,
VPM, 5 minute meetings, sensei visits, kaizen, kaikakus... the whole lot. A fascinating study into motivation
and behaviour! Great results.
TAKEOVERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, RECAPITALISATION
1993, 1996, 2008
NZKS's biggest competitor was in trouble. They were bleeding cash and causing destructive competition in all
markets. The process of taking them over has been well documented and took up much of 1996. The result
was a much stronger industry and a company twice as big.
In 1993 we purchased a brand from a local manufacturer and eventually took over the whole business
including the leased facility. A small step but important because of the support it gave our brands and new
product development.
In 2008 we recapitalised, a whole different story
NZKS's biggest competitor was in trouble. They were bleeding cash and causing destructive competition in all
markets. The process of taking them over has been well documented and took up much of 1996. The result
was a much stronger industry and a company twice as big.
In 1993 we purchased a brand from a local manufacturer and eventually took over the whole business
including the leased facility. A small step but important because of the support it gave our brands and new
product development.
In 2008 we recapitalised, a whole different story
