In welcoming Mr Luxon, director Sarah Ottrey quipped that little did he know that it was a job interview for a role post-politics given the board’s current chairman was former prime minister Sir Bill English, and, before that, it was another former prime minister, Jim Bolger.
“You might have to wait a couple of decades,” Rangitata MP James Meager quickly chimed in to much laughter.
Looking visibly relaxed, Mr Luxon was keen to hear the history of the company which has been in business for more than 30 years and farms freshwater king salmon which are only found in the Mackenzie and Waitaki districts.
It exports more than 60% of its production to markets around the world.
The Washdyke plant — which employs 60 people — was opened in 2013 to enable all the salmon processing to be completed in New Zealand.
The salmon arrives at the factory from six salmon farms in the hydro-canals and is processed into various products before being sent on to the company’s smokehouse in Christchurch for further processing or to retailers, or to Christchurch Airport or one of the nearest three ports for export.
The company employs about 200 people across its entire operation — in Christchurch, Timaru, Queenstown and Twizel — and is aiming to double its exports in the next three years.
It is the biggest employer in Twizel.
Ms Ottrey said sustainability was a big part of the company and it was the first salmon farm in Australasia to be BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice) rated and was at the highest four-star rating.
It was also rated Green “Best Choice” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch programme.
Nationally, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon was part of New Zealand’s A+ Sustainable Aquaculture Programme.
The company had reduced its Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by 21% in line with the Paris Agreement.
The company was working on an exciting project called Nautilus with the Crown through the Ministry for Primary Industries to bring innovation to the salmon industry in four different areas — trialling a nursery farm concept to increase salmon growth productivity and survival, improving food safety, introducing a new species of farmed salmon and increasing sustainability, she said.
Having travelled with Mr Luxon on his two most recent trade missions to Southeast Asia and Japan, Ms Ottrey said his work rate and drive to promote and grow New Zealand brands and products were “unmatched” and she thanked him for being “our chief marketing officer”.
After a tour of the factory, during which Mr Luxon chatted with staff and was keen to learn about the various processes, and then sampling some product, he asked the company’s chief executive David Cole what else the government needed to be doing, saying he wanted it to be successful.
Mr Cole said it was important the government supported the growth of the existing industry. Where else would a regional town like Twizel be doing “tens of millions of dollars of export”, he asked.
Mr Luxon said it was a “really exciting” business and it was an honour to come to South Canterbury to view what he described as a world-class operation.
The government had the ambition of doubling exports in 10 years which was needed to grow New Zealand.
High-quality products from New Zealand were in huge demand.
Businesses such as Mt Cook Alpine Salmon needed to be celebrated, supported and encouraged, he said.
And as for the all-important question as to the final score tonight in Dunedin?
The prime minister was picking a 32-16 win to the All Blacks.
sally.rae@odt.co.nz
