N.Z. BUTTER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 693, 20 November 1933, Page 7

N.Z. BUTTER

HOME MARKETING COMPETITIVE MEFHODS LEAVE SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED. DANISH COMPETITION. • The opinion that New Zealand dairy factories are now making the best possible effort to compete successfully with Danish exporters of produce to the Home market was expressed to a Taranaki News reporter by Mr. Ralph Bleakley, of Georgetown, who returned to Invercargill recently from a business visit to England. Mr. Bleakley explained that his attention had been attracted by a large advertisement by a North of England firm, Co-operative Stores, Ltd., which stated in prominent type that it sold 90001b of finest Danish butter every week. Oh making inquiries, he was ■in formed that this firm sold 4cwt of Australian butter a week, and no New Zealand butter at all. And this was a firm with 43 branches in one town. The reason w,as not far to seek, said Mr. Bleakley. He was informed by the manager that the marketing of Danish butter was arranged by a co-operative whole society. Through it, this firm was supplied solely by one particular faetory, and tiius personal relations were established and, which was more important, the firm was ahle to sell the same brand of butter regularly and unfailingly. The position with New Zealand butter was in direct contrast. There would probably be a different brand. on the counter every week, and sooner or later the people who had been induced by propaganda to buy New Zealand produce would strike a brand which was not quite up to standard. Th'en they would go back to Danish butter. A Lesson from the Danes. "The whole point is that the Danish produce is dependable, and the New Zealand butter and cheese is not," continued Mr. Bleakley. "I can see no reason why New Zealand factories should not work along the same lines as the Danes. The directors of the big Home stores blame the New Ze,a.land factories, who, they say, sell to a different place every week in search of improvements of a fraction of a penny in their prices. There is nothing regular or consistent about New Zealand butter, which is why it is not competing successfully .against the Danish produce, although it is 2d and 2ld a pound cheaper. The members of my own family vouch for this; they are given every eneouragement to buy New Zealand produce, but they find that they cannot depend on the quality. They never know what they ,are buying." Weakness of Empire Marketing. The Empire marketing scheme, which terminated some two months ago, had its weaknesses, according to Mr. Bleakley. The main difficulty was that a large store, able to display its produce, had a sign, "Empire Produce," under which was butter that might have come from Canada, South Africa, Australia. or New Zealand. There was nothing to indicate whether or not it was New Zealand butter. In the small stores it was just the same. The buyer didn't know what he was getting except that it was "Empire." It might be New Zealand one day, Australian the next, and so on. "New Zealand butter should he sold as New Zealand butter, and Southland produce should be sold as Southland produce," said Mr. Bleakley. "In that I agree with the writer of the News farm notes. It is the only way to secure a regular and sound market, and it is the only way that we can make a real impression on the Danes. There is no reason why our factories should not be able to deal almost directly with particular Home retailers. Then we would get results."

Bacon Market. Referring to New Zealand bacon, Mr. Bleakley considered that it could not compare with Danish bacon eaten in .England. "If we are ever going to establish a bacon export trade, there will have to be a big improvement somewhere. I am not competent to say whether the fault of the New Zealand product is in the feeding, or the curing, but I noticed that at Home one very prominent brand was adver- 1 tised as 'peat smoked.' The Danes are absolutely thorough. Their bacon is graded and directed into regular channels. Tbey even send fat facon to certain districts, lean bacon to other districts, and so on. It is priced according to grading, from ls 3d down to 9d. "The Danes were in the field first," concluded Mr. Bleakley, "and we have a big job, ahead to displace tbem as "the home farm of England." However, it can be done, but not until New Zealand dairy exporters adopt far more thorough and intensive methods."