KUALA LUMPUR, 03 September 2024: An exciting era of new collaboration and partnership for Malaysian and New Zealand businesses was launched during an event at the Shangri-La Hotel on Monday.
Attended by the Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, the event sought to celebrate the strength of the existing trade relationship between New Zealand and Malaysia, while promoting New Zealand’s capabilities in innovation and leading tech solutions and world-class food and beverage.
A total of ten new or expanded partnership agreements between Malaysian and New Zealand companies were witnessed by Mr Luxon, who had earlier come from a meeting with Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to further high-level government relations and enhance bilateral trade as part of his two-day visit to Malaysia.
The significant number of partnerships is evidence of the growing relationship between New Zealand and Malaysia, which has seen two-way trade between the two countries nearly double since 2016.
Food and beverage remains New Zealand’s largest export category to Malaysia, with dairy its single biggest export. In the year to March 2024, New Zealand exported NZ$808 million (RM2.2 billion) in dairy products to Malaysia, supplying over 45% of all Malaysia’s dairy imports.
Innovation and technology is growing in prominence as increasing numbers of New Zealand companies partner with Malaysian businesses and New Zealand’s reputation as a hub for world-class solutions grows. In the past ten years, the New Zealand tech sector has more than doubled in size. It is now the fastest growing sector in the New Zealand economy and its second largest export earner after dairy.
Prime Minister Luxon said the event was recognition of the extensive business relationship between Malaysia and New Zealand and the interest in growing trade even further: “Malaysia and New Zealand partner well across the food and beverage and technology sectors, and there is significant potential opportunity to further extend these relationships for mutual benefit,” said Mr Luxon.
“It was exciting to meet with these leading Malaysian companies and see just how well New Zealand can
complement them in their growth aspirations here in Malaysia and further afield,” he said.
Six companies in the food, beverage and agriculture sectors solidified new relationships:
-Alliance – New Zealand’s only 100% farmer-owned red meat co-operative, signed an MoU with Malaysian partner Fatric to expand of the company’s premium lamb and mutton programme in Malaysia. Alliance’s Pukeuri (Oamaru) processing plant is one of just five New Zealand lamb plants licensed to supply Malaysia. The MoU marked more than two decades of collaborative and mutually supportive partnership since 1992.
-New Zealand’s Lincoln University and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) signed a MoU, paving the way
for enhanced research and academic collaboration between the two institutions in the critical areas of
agriculture and food security.
-Leading New Zealand snack company Griffin’s Food Ltd signed an agreement with Malaysian
distribution partner AIT Fine Food to launch its Proper Crisps brand into Malaysia. AIT has been Griffin’s
valued Malaysian distribution and sales partner since 2011 and is the company’s largest distributor in
Asia.
-Comvita – a global market leader in Mānuka honey and bee products – signed an MoU with Big Caring
Group with a view to launching Comvita products into its chain of stores.
-Southern Fresh signed an agreement with Malaysian supplier Agroto Business to launch Southern
Fresh’s premium quality New Zealand produce into the Aeon supermarket chain.
-NIG Nutritionals signed an MoU with Delfi Marketing to expand its existing partnership and formalise
distribution for its high-quality quality nutritional products in Malaysia.
A further four partnerships in the manufacturing, technology and innovation sectors were formalised:
-Hamilton Jet – a global leader in marine waterjet propulsion technology – agreed to formalise supply
agreements with Malaysia’s Gading Marine Industry and Sarawak Slipways to further expand the use
of its pioneering technology in the market.
-Orion Health formalised a partnership agreement with Malaysian healthcare solutions provider MH
Nexus to advance digital health solutions to the local healthcare market in South-East Asia.
-Pacific Edge and Premier Integrated Labs signed an MoU to formalise a distribution and testing
services agreement.
The Prime Minister is joined in Malaysia by the Honourable Melissa Lee, Minister for Economic Development and the Honourable Nicola Grigg, Minister of State for Trade and Associate Minister of Agriculture, along with a 17-strong business delegation representing New Zealand’s top exporters in Malaysia.
As part of the mission, the delegation visited New Zealand’s Skyline Luge in Kuala Lumpur, where the iconic Kiwi attraction was celebrating its 1 millionth rider milestone, just nine months after its Malaysia launch. The delegation also supported a new clinic opening for New Zealand specialist health solutions provider, Fertility Associates in Malaysia.
About New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Te Taurapa Tūhono | New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand government’s international business development agency. Our purpose is to grow companies internationally – bigger, better, faster – for the good of New Zealand. NZTE uses its extensive knowledge and global networks to help exporters of all sizes make better decisions and connect to the right partners and investors. We connect international businesses and investors with high-value growth opportunities in New Zealand.
