Wellington Airport has begun preliminary demolition work ahead of a $15 million upgrade of the airport’s main terminal building.

The New Zealand organic sector has grown 30 per cent or 10 per cent a year since 2015 to now be worth $600 million, buoyed along by consumers, here and globally, demanding natural, ethical products that are good for them and their families.

The 2018 OANZ Organic Market Report, released today, shows retail sales of organic products are growing twice as fast as conventional products, up 8.8% to $245 million.

While supermarket, grocery and specialty store organic sales are still small as a percentage of total sales, the findings show that Kiwi consumers are taking organic mainstream.

Independent research in the report shows that eight out of 10 Kiwi consumers are buying organic fresh, frozen or packaged food and beauty products at least fortnightly, citing care for the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families as the key motivation. Just under half (48%) say they purchase organic products because they are concerned for the environment and sustainability.

Exports too are booming, up 42 per cent since 2015 to $355 million, as consumers in Asia, including China, North America and Europe seek out New Zealand organic fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, wool and wine, and natural beauty and bodycare products.

“The 2018 report findings reporting market growth of 15 per cent a year tell us loud and clear that opportunity lies before us,” says OANZ CEO, Brendan Hoare. “The world wants what New Zealand has to offer, and we have the capability to grow our share of the global market where the organic food segment alone is worth EUR85b and is growing at 10.5 per cent a year.

“The report articulates a national and global mood for change to natural, ethical, sustainable food and other daily used products,” he said. “Consumers want change, so they can live their values, producers and farmers are seeking change to do what is good for the land they love, and global markets are demanding greater and greater choice as organic goes mainstream.”

The report takes a holistic view of the New Zealand organic sector, presenting the latest research on size, growth, trends, perceptions, challenges and opportunities across the value chain from consumer to producer, looks at how we are tracking globally and also investigates in a special case study the multiple benefits of organic production from a True Cost Accounting point of view.

Mr Hoare said producers and manufacturers were listening to the market signals with more than 50 per cent of producers across the whole industry surveyed for the report indicating interest in gaining full organic certification or transitioning towards organic.

The report also shows that certified organic operations were up 12 per cent to 1,118 licensees and 1,672 certified enterprises and land under organic production had increased by 17 per cent to almost 89,000 hectares due to 50 per cent growth in organic livestock area.

The report, published on line at http://www.oanz.org/publications/reports.html is a major undertaking by OANZ, the authoritative voice of the organic sector, and coincides with progress on establishing a single, mandatory, national organic standard and robust regulatory framework.

The standard and underpinning legislation is required to support export opportunities, encourage investment in organic production, give consumers and customers peace of mind over authenticity – and bring New Zealand’s regulatory framework on par internationally.

The report sponsors include Platinum Sponsors Ceres Organics and Purefresh Organic.

Graphic Packaging International (GPI), has enhanced its manufacturing capacity with the introduction of Bobst Masterfold 110 machinery.  The new equipment includes Easyfeeder/Batch/Inverter 4 and Cartonpack 4 at its Leeds facility.

Westpower has offered to gift $250,000 to a struggling polytechnic if it receives approval to access the conservation land it wants to build a hydro-electric plant on reports Farah Hancock for Newsroom.

After years of discussions, the European Union is officially launching trade deal negotiations with New Zealand. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is headed to New Zealand this week, and spoke to Sam Sachdeva of Newsroom ahead of her visit about what the EU will get out of the deal - as well as the shaky state of international trade.

Seequent, a world leader in visual data science, and Mott MacDonald have been shortlisted in the British Construction Industry Awards for Digital Initiative of the Year. Innovating together the companies delivered a digital, 3D geological modelling solution on the Upper Chelburn Impounding Reservoir in the UK, which is owned and operated by United Utilities.

Air New Zealand today announced a strategic development partnership with Magic Leap, which is building the next spatial computing platform, powering experiences that seamlessly blend the digital and physical world.

As the airline embarks on a journey to revolutionize the air travel experience, Air New Zealand is developing exciting new experiences with Magic Leap that will initially highlight the dramatic, diverse landscapes and activities that make the country a unique tourism destination.

“Air New Zealand is excited to bring innovative, emerging technology to our customers and create a more enjoyable travel experience. Our goal with this partnership is to continue to encourage new visitors to experience the wonders of New Zealand with us,” says Jodi Williams, Air New Zealand General Manager of Global Brand and Content.

Together with London-based creative studio Framestore, Air New Zealand is creating a “Fantastical Journey throughout New Zealand” that allows travellers to experience the country in a completely new way with Magic Leap. This first-time experience will debut later this year and is part of a longer-term programme committed to redefining travel experiences.

“Magic Leap and Air New Zealand have a shared ambition to bring true innovation to everyday experiences, including the air travel experience. As a Magic Leap partner, Air New Zealand is uniquely positioned to bring revolutionary technology to the travel industry,” says Rachna Bhasin, Magic Leap Chief Business Officer.

Air New Zealand is regarded as one of the leading and most innovative airlines globally, having been named by Airlineratings.com and Condé Nast Traveler as the best airline in the world in 2017.

As part of an initiative to drive down air pollution in London’s Square Mile a trial of the UK’s first fully-electric waste collection truck has begun reports Ben Messenger for Waste Mangement world.

With its fleet of ageing ferries, age-expired locomotives and the need for replacement wagons, KiwiRail is building its case for a large taxpayer investment. David Williams reports for Newsroom.

University of Canterbury researchers have been successfully locating, protecting and studying whitebait spawning sites in Christchurch city rivers with help from the humble haybale.