Alternative protein company moves to Fishers
THE former Fishers Meats factory that provided 100 years of production is to be taken over by a Wellingtonbased company making plantbased meat on the premises.
The Craft Meat Company, a brand born out of Fishers Meats, was 5050 owned by Grant Howie and Justin Lemmens, who is also managing director of Rosa Foods Ltd in Porirua.
Mr Howie shut down Fishers Meats production last Friday.
Rosa Foods’ parent company is Sustainable Foods Limited, which is to be fully owned by Mr Lemmens after putting the final touches to an acquisition of Mr Howie’s shares in the business.
‘‘We both had different skillsets within our companies and different manufacturing capabilities,’’ Mr Lemmens said.
‘‘We were making use of our different capabilities and the partnership to work together through collaboration rather than knocking heads against each other in the New Zealand market.
‘‘Grant is not in a position to complete growth [on] his side of the partnership so we have taken on the complete brand and product range under Sustainable Foods.’’
One of the company’s hallmark products is ‘‘NoMeat Mince’’, which comes in bolognese and Mexican flavours, as well as plantbased burgers and sausages.
Three staff from the 13 permanent Fishers Meats factory workers laid off last week will take on new jobs with Sustainable Foods.
Sustainable Foods production and quality manager Kylan Rei said the old Fishers Meats factory and the three workers were ‘‘uniquely specialised’’ to make the plantmeat products.
‘‘We see plenty of opportunity for growth in the company, in the products themselves.
‘‘We’ve got 100% faith in the team in Dunedin, as well.’’
Mr Lemmens said the company would look at hiring more people in Dunedin as the business grew.
‘‘[The plan is] 100% to grow the business very aggressively and that is certainly going to mean more resources on the ground in Dunedin.’’
The irony of a plantbased meat company taking over a closed meat production factory was not lost on Mr Rei.
‘‘There is a degree of irony in it,’’ he said.
Mr Lemmens said the machinery and equipment used for the meat production would not be recycled to be used for the plantbased products.
‘‘We are using an entire floor, essentially as a kitchen.
‘‘But there is no animal products being made in those areas at all.’’
Mr Rei, Mr Lemmens and another manager would fly down from Wellington at least once a week to visit and supervise the Dunedin site.
The pair were optimistic of the future of plantbased meats.
‘‘It’s definitely an interesting conversation to be a part of,’’ Mr Reisaid.
‘‘Everyone’s up for it. Whether they agree with trying to take on board more plantbased options into their lifestyle . . . whether people view it as a lifestyle decision or sustainable drivers, there’s a number of ways to look at the products.
‘‘One of the questions that we keep getting asked is why try to imitate meat? The answer quite simply is ‘would you eat meat if it tasted like s . . .?’ The answer is no.’’
It was about getting plantbased meat to deliver in ways animal meat was popular such as in a burger, umami or the general occasion something like a roast can bring, he said.
‘‘There are some enjoyable things about eating meat . . . and those are some of the things we are trying to deliver to people who want to eat plantbased options.’’
Mr Lemmens started Sustainable Foods 20 years ago in Wellington as a handmade pasta company.
The company supplies about 400 supermarkets around the country and employs about 80 staff, largely out of its Porirua offices.