NZ lamb for select high fliers

New Zealand lamb is on the menu for first-class and business class travellers flying out of India, thanks to Kiwi food company Alliance Group.

Pure South lamb is on offer to passengers flying Air Canada, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines and Air France after QualityNZ, the cooperative’s India partner, signed an agreement with two airline catering companies in India.

Chief executive at QualityNZ Geoff Allot said the contract with the airline caterers and strong interest from five-star hotels highlighted the growing demand for New Zealand lamb in a nation of 1.3 billion. Pure South lamb was available at more than 300 five-star hotels, he said.

‘‘QualityNZ and Alliance are targeting the higher socioeconomic category, which is represented by more than 200 million people. It is estimated this number is expected to more than double within the next 10 years to half a billion people, and India is forecast to exceed China’s GDP for the first time by as soon as 2022.

‘‘Put in context, India is growing between 8 per cent and 10 per cent each year, effectively more than the size of New Zealand’s whole economy every year.’’

Although QualityNZ had focused on introducing Pure South lamb into the five-star hotel market, it was also making inroads into the restaurant, catering, organised retail and e-commerce channels, he said.

‘‘While the e-commerce sector is still relatively new in India, the number of online shoppers is expected to grow by 80 million people from this year to 2020.’’

QualityNZ shareholders included cricket legends Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum. The role of the cricketers was integral to the promotion of lamb in India, said Allott.

‘‘They understand the potential of the market, having been immersed in the country through playing and coaching over many years. Cricket is a uniting language in India, and our ambassadors’ reputations have had a huge impact.’’