Norway brand targets southern merino
When Norwegians Cathrine Stange and Tor Jonssen visited the livestock pavilion at the Canterbury A&P Show, they made a beeline for the merinos.
The pair represented Devold, a high-end Norwegian merino clothing company which sourced its wool from Australia, and since last year from five South Island high country stations.
Devold chief executive Cathrine Stange said the five stations had been taken on as ‘‘partners’’ to supply wool to the company. Among the stations were Armidale from Central Otago, Blairich Station and Duntroon Station in Marlborough.
The farmers are excited - they like to see where their wool ends up, and all our garments are traceable. Cathrine Stange
Stange and Jonssen made a point of visiting each new ‘‘partner’’ and a short film was made on each for display on the website.
‘‘The farmers are excited - they like to see where their wool ends up. And all our garments are traceable with a swing tag that tells a little about the supplier,’’ Stange said.
‘‘Quality and branding are essential to Devold. We feel the ‘paddock to shop’ story to be told from sourcing wool in New Zealand is fantastic. The five stations have incredible back stories.’’
Devold, which had been in operation for more than 160 years, considered itself ‘‘an international pioneer’’ in the development of innovative merino wool clothing. Initially producers of woolen sweaters, underwear and mittens for sailors, today it targeted the outdoor market and focused on quality.
PGG Wrightson wool general manager Grant Edwards said his company was the link between Devold and the five farms. ‘‘That’s our role - we need to add value to our growers and bring that to Devold. We’ve got a great model in our wool business.
‘‘We go from the farm gate to the manufacturer. We have a procurement team that’s part of our business, a logistics team, and an export team which sends it overseas. PGG Wrightson is the link - there is a chain. The farmer, us, then we make it happen.’’
PGG Wrightson development manager Craig Smith said this was the second year Devold had been dealing with New Zealand farmers.
‘‘They appreciate the New Zealand farming and the openness and honesty of the farmers. It’s essential to them to make sure the story is right. They won’t compromise on that at all. They have been struggling to find partners in Australia because the farmers there don’t like contracts. They would rather go with an auction system. In New Zealand farmers are used to long-term contracts.’’
Smith said he developed a relationship with Jonssen about 10 years ago.
‘‘Tor came out [to New Zealand], and then I caught up with him in Germany at a big trade fair. Then they decided to come out to New Zealand.’’