Background
8. On 1 November 2004, Cabinet agreed to a process for government engagement with the food and beverage sector [CAB Min (04) 35/5 refers]. This was the first engagement under the sector engagement framework of May 2004 [CBC (04) 70 refers].
9. A taskforce was established in December 2004 to determine the needs of the food and beverage sector and develop a path for its future economic development. The taskforce was made up of both industry and government representatives. The industry co-chair was Tony Nowell, previously Chief Executive of Griffins and recently appointed Chief Executive of Zespri. A key aim of the engagement process was to focus the resources of industry, government, science and education in partnership to achieve faster, smarter, sustainable growth in the food and beverage sector.
10. The taskforce established three working groups to develop recommendations focusing on markets, skills and innovation issues respectively. The Taskforce released its report Smart Food, Cool Beverage: New Zealand's Future in the Food and Beverage Sector on 28 August 2006. The development agenda in the report provides both a strategic framework for the sector's future development and a set of recommendations on specific issues.
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