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10 Vines go as wine cycle turns Vol 24 No 28 | July 20, 2026
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Browne hones global edge at Alliance NEWS
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HE Irish owners of the Alliance meat company are part way through transforming the business and say there are still gains to be made. Niall Browne, the chief executive of both Dawn Meats and Alliance, said eight months after securing 65% of the company, the Irish company is fulfilling shareholder’s vote for change. “Every section of the business has been looked at to see if we can make little incremental improvements, and all those little incremental improvements overall will go a long way to transforming the business,” he told Farmers Weekly in an interview.
The commercial team here in NZ are getting market signals weeks in advance of when they would have got them in the past. Niall Browne Dawn Meats, Alliance Part of the challenge for Alliance – and every New Zealand meat company – has been the distance from its markets, said Browne. “It’s very hard to have your finger on the pulse in other
markets unless you’re there, and luckily for Alliance, it’s now in those markets.” Alliance also has access to Dawn Meats’ global sales network. “Now we have a very good setup and feedback coming back on a daily, weekly basis to the commercial team here in NZ, which means they’re getting market signals weeks in advance of when they would have got them in the past.” At a series of recent woolshed meetings Browne has told suppliers and shareholders that plants are running efficiently, costs are under control and meat yields maximised, and financially Alliance is performing strongly despite record livestock prices. He confirmed shareholders will be paid up to $20 million this year and up to $20m again next year. This year’s payment will consist of 45% as a dividend and 55% as a supply-based rebate and, next year, 75% as a rebate and 25% as retained earnings by the New Alliance Investment Co-operative, which holds 35% of Alliance shares. The amount of rebate will be determined on the volume of livestock supplied by September 30 in each year. Browne said the benefits of being part of a large international meat group are starting to emerge. “We have 30 red-meat sites throughout Ireland, the UK and Continued page 3
Looking at the farm through fresh eyes Madison Coulter, who has built a fine art business inspired by rural life, lives with her husband Sam in Woodbury, Canterbury, raising their children Harry and Olivia on the family deer farm they are leasing. Photo: Chlöe Lodge Photography
Full skills roster nails victory
S FOECT CU OR S
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NEWS 4
OPINION 15
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