As per one of our local magazines new article, the iconic Tuakau Bridge is definitely taking us places…..
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Category: Tuakau
Waiting for perfection….
A story in our local paper tells of our local cheese maker, Albert Alferink, who owns and runs Mercer Cheese along with his wife.
Some years ago, a news item and video were broadcast telling of Albert and his award winning cheeses.
The Mercer Cheese store was opened in 1981, and Albert will be able to celebrate his more than 35 years in business.
If you are heading south from our area, toward Hamilton then, check out the business hours and pay a visit to try some wonderful cheeses!!
Franklin in photos
We’re a little bit country…………and a little bit city savvy, too……… with a whole lot of heart!!!
Getting noticed…….??
Franklin’s northern Waikato region of Tuakau, is talking, among other things, about a local information centre.
The idea of an information centre in Tuakau has been floated, off and on, for many years now, but it will need the support and communication of local businesses, groups and other entities.
The community and businesses will need to discuss where and what they want for the area, for this to come to fruition for the benefit of not only Tuakau, but the wider region. There will be questions to look at and answer – Is it best to continue along the current path of many businesses working to promote themselves on a slightly more individual basis, either through Waikato and/or Franklin as a whole? Should all of the regions businesses and tourism interested groups, all communicate to make one over-arching place with whom to work as a Southern Auckland/Northern Waikato region??
Many areas will have been through similar procedures when trying to get the best for their areas.
Maybe the issue here though, is how to deal with promotion and “getting noticed” since the “Franklin” region became split, with the Supercity structure officially putting Franklin’s southern areas into the Waikato.
Much food for thought!
Franklin………our changing face
Franklin – our wee patch of NZ, like many others I guess, is ever changing, as the years move on…….
Just one instance is –
Pokeno, our neighbour down the road in the Northern Waikato part of Franklin, has been through many changes over the years – going from a fairly busy village as per our photo, to an area by-passed by the modernisation of the highway/motorway and now back again towards being a busy town with it’s new and increasing housing areas.
The town also has Yasihili, the new Infant Formula Factory, being built. It will be interesting to see how this helps to build the region with employment, visitors and growth in general!
Yashili is part of a major group that leads the dairy market in China. To help us achieve our preeminent position there, we have been a longstanding importer of New Zealand milk powder. Now we are taking that one step further – we are not just sourcing our milk powder here; we are producing our finished goods here. Our $200 million investment in Pokeno focuses on the development and construction of a 30,000m2 manufacturing plant. Our annual production capacity of around 52,000 tonnes of infant formula products will supply the rapidly growing and increasingly demanding Chinese market.To help us achieve our potential in New Zealand we are looking for the brightest and best people in dairy manufacturing to come on board with us. We have job opportunities in manufacturing, supply chain and quality management. Come and join us and be part of our team that is putting Kiwi expertise on the world’s stage.Yashili is one of the “big three” producers of infant milk formula for the domestic market in China. Our two leading brands, Yashily and Scient, and the more recently introduced Merla brand account for more than 80 per cent of Yashili Group’s total business. Yashili is also one of the leading suppliers of soymilk powder, cereal, rice flour and milk powder for adults and teenager to the Chinese market. Our products are sold in just over 105,000 retail outlets in China. In July 2012, we were named among the top 500 Most Valuable Brands in China for the ninth consecutive year. Yashili Group employs over 5000 people and reported an annual turnover in 2011 of NZ$566 million. We are publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In June 2013, China Mengniu Diary Company announced plans to acquire Yashili Group. Mengniu, China’s largest producer of liquid milk products, is part owned by China’s state-backed agricultural and food industry supplier COFCO.
Building Future Capacity
China’s infant formula market is expected to grow to NZ$32 billion by 2017, according to Euromonitor data. The increasing demand for infant milk formula is being driven by families shifting from rural locations to the cities, a stable birth rate, more mothers going out to work, and increases in disposable income. The challenge for Yashili and other manufacturers is to keep pace with demand while maintaining a high level of quality control. That’s why we have looked to New Zealand and its internationally recognised expertise in the manufacture of quality milk powder to build our newest dairy processing. Yashili already promotes the high quality of New Zealand-sourced milk content in our premium brands. We have imported milk powder from New Zealand for over 10 years and we have used New Zealand milk powder exclusively in our infant milk formula since August 2010. Now we are adding further value to our product with Kiwi manufacturing expertise, and the support of the country’s skilled labour force.
Who says there’s nothing to do?……..
If anyone thinks that the school holidays are boring with nothing to do in Franklin Country, think again! Especially if you have an interest in racing, cars, trucks, markets, to name but a few.
Check out our photos and ideas here
If you feel energetic, how about a bit of a run at the Waiuku Sand to Mud fun run, on Sunday 12th?
…and look out for more things happening in our patch.
If these things don’t catch your eye, then there is always the local cinema for the latest movies (and if the weather turns to custard!)
So stay awhile at one of our fantastic accommodation providers and have an awesome weekend in Franklin Country – where Auckland meets the Waikato
around Franklin
around Franklin Country with a few more pics
So come stay and play here in Franklin Country – there’s along weekend coming up waiting for you!!
