AsureQuality

19/02/2025

The year is well underway, and the momentum of our community partnerships continues! ❤️ In 2024, many of our team volunteered their time to support the fantastic work of Kura Kai NZ and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ), and connect with colleagues at the same time! We’re proud to keep that spirit alive in 2025.✨

With schools back in session, some of our Innovation & Insights team members recently came together in Christchurch to cook up nutritious meals for rangatahi with Kura Kai. Judging by their smiles, it was time well spent! A big thank you to our latest chefs: Emily Cordwell, Steve Askey, Aaron Lambert, Elke Van der Meijden, Pam Whitfield, and Simon Love.

As a company, we believe that supporting our communities is more than just an individual choice — it’s a responsibility we take seriously. Through our volunteer programme, every AsureQuality team member has the opportunity to donate a day of their time to our community partners while still being paid. With over 1800 people across Aotearoa, that’s 14400 hours to help make a difference in our communities.

17/02/2025

National Lamb Day 🐑 was celebrated with barbeques and events over the weekend, commemorating the first shipment of frozen New Zealand lamb which left Otago bound for London 🚢 on 15 February 1882. Thanks to refrigeration – a new technology at the time – the meat arrived in excellent condition, marking the beginning of a hugely successful industry.

As meat exports grew through the 1890s, it was recognised that the value of this trade was important beyond its dollar value – New Zealand's position as a leading exporter of quality meat and produce was to be protected and enhanced. This led to the establishment of Meat Hygiene Services and the introduction of legislation requiring vet inspections of all stock before and after slaughter. All meat products being exported from New Zealand had to be covered by a Meat Export Certificate ✅.

New Zealand led the world in meat hygiene at the time, and this focus on quality continues today with the work of AsureQuality's meat inspection team. Our official assessors carry out over 900,000 hours of inspection on over 26 million animals 🐑🐄 at 70 meat processing facilities around the country each year as the New Zealand Government's Recognised Agency for ante- and post-mortem meat inspection. Job well done team! 👏

Learn more about our meat inspection service 🥩: https://www.asurequality.com/industries/meat/meat-inspection/

16/02/2025

Fantastic to watch Hukarere Adventures Hukarere Station on Country Calendar tonight.

Their AsureQuality certified organic lamb and wool are sought after as premium products overseas as well as local market for beef and lamb.
Meat With Us

Get ready! It’s nearly time for our first episode of the year – A Natural Flow – about a big organic sheep and beef farm in West Otago. See you at 7pm on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

11/02/2025

As we continue to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science this week, we recognise another remarkable woman who has dedicated 45 years to food science and laboratory excellence — Jo Fry, Scientist at AsureQuality’s Specialty Testing Laboratory in Wellington. ✨

Jo began her journey at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), where she worked in food testing, analysing preservatives, metals, and nutrients to ensure food safety. She was also involved in pesticide residue testing in New Zealand, contributing to new initiatives such as the Total Diet Survey.

Throughout her career, Jo has embraced many changes, developing new methods and involvement with cutting-edge instrumentation that have helped to transform food and water testing capabilities. A career highlight was her involvement in Homebush Sydney Olympic Park Dioxin Remediation Project.

Jo has also witnessed the evolution of health and safety – working in labs with minimal protective equipment (no gloves or safety glasses!) through to the purpose-built facilities of today.

As Jo transitions toward retirement, her legacy continues to inspire, leaving a lasting impact on colleagues and the industry.👏🌟

10/02/2025

Tuesday 11 February is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and this week we’re celebrating the incredible contributions of women in food science, safety, and assurance. Across our laboratories and beyond, women are driving innovation, ensuring food safety, and upholding the highest standards in science. 👏

One such woman is Sue Cousins, Laboratory Manager at AsureQuality’s Seed Laboratory in Palmerston North, who is celebrating a remarkable 45-year journey with the company.

From her early work as a Quarantine Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, through to her international experience in seed testing, her work in strengthening scientific processes across the industry and her involvement with the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Sue’s contributions have been widely recognised.

Sue’s commitment, passion, and expertise have helped to shape the field of seed analysis and laboratory quality management systems. Her leadership and vision continue to drive the laboratory's success, and her mentorship has positively impacted colleagues and inspired future generations. Thank you Sue for your dedication and impact! ✨

Tomorrow we’ll be highlighting the career of another female scientist - also celebrating 45 years with AsureQuality.

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05/02/2025

Advances in technology have enabled the synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which may be added to infant formulas and nutritional products to bring them closer in composition to human milk.

To support manufacturers seeking to make nutritional claims regarding HMO fortification, AsureQuality is pleased to offer full access to the internationally recognised AOAC Official Method 2022.04 for HMO testing.

Following our introduction of HMO testing last year with reporting on three HMOs, we’ve now expanded the scope of testing to offer reporting on six HMOs, to help manufacturers meet regulatory and market expectations.

AsureQuality is committed to supporting New Zealand’s excellent reputation in infant formula and nutritional product manufacturing by ensuring access to the latest advances in laboratory testing services.

Read more: https://www.asurequality.com/about/news/new-testing-capability-for-human-milk-oligosaccharides-hmos/

03/02/2025

⏰🔬A friendly reminder that testing continues at AsureQuality’s food laboratories in Auckland and Christchurch on Thursday 6 February (Waitangi Day). The labs are open for sample reception with reduced hours, but please check with your courier regarding public holiday deliveries, especially if sending perishable items.

Our other laboratories and customer services are closed for Waitangi Day. Please see our website for our full laboratory operating hours and contact details: https://lnkd.in/gh6zeAfu
We wish everyone an enjoyable day celebrating Aotearoa and honouring hashtag . 🌿

02/02/2025

Sri Lanka is among New Zealand’s top ten dairy export markets, and AsureQuality was delighted to host a delegation from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) earlier this month for a three-day visit at our Auckland Laboratory.

The visit was part of a collaboration led by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance market access between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, including fostering greater laboratory cooperation.

Discussions with SLSI, alongside representatives from other key NZ organisations, highlighted New Zealand's expertise in food safety, advanced quality systems, and laboratory accreditation processes, reinforcing the country’s commitment to its reputation as a global leader in food safety and quality assurance.

The visit concluded with a sense of accomplishment, and the AsureQuality team is looking forward to our role in the implementation of the laboratory cooperation initiative. 🤝

Read full story: https://lnkd.in/gd_BGNjn

31/01/2025

New Zealand’s honey is world-renowned. Whether you're a producer, exporter, or quality assurance professional in the apiculture industry, you’ll want to make sure you’re up to date with the latest food safety and compliance standards.

Our AsureQuality Academy is running two specialised online courses in February covering the regulatory requirements relating to food safety and export for honey and bee products:

📌Animal Products ECERT – Bee Products on 5 Feb and

📌Honey - Food Safety & RMP Awareness on 21 Feb

We also offer courses on HACCP, auditing, animal welfare, food safety governance and more to support industry professionals across the food and primary production sectors. Don’t miss out — enrol today. hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag
https://www.asurequality.com/academy/course-finder/programmes?DateRange=01%2F02%2F2025+-+28%2F02%2F2025&action_programmes=Show+Courses&Delivery=&start=0

14/01/2025

Nutrition Information Panels (NIP) are an important feature of a food label, helping consumers understand the health profile of a food product and offering a useful way to compare the nutritional values of different products. ✅

🔍For food producers, laboratory analysis offers an accurate and reliable way to determine the nutritional values of a product when preparing an NIP.

AsureQuality provides testing to meet New Zealand and overseas nutritional labelling requirements.

We can also test to support other marketing or health claims, including for vitamins, minerals, or dietary fibre, helping producers to ensure their product meets the criteria in the Food Standards Code, and enabling consumers to make informed food choices.

Learn more here - https://www.asurequality.com/services/laboratory-testing/chemistry-testing/

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02/01/2025

As we enjoy festive cheer, summer barbecues, and holiday feasts, food safety remains as important as ever. Whether you're a food producer, retailer, or part of the hospitality industry, it’s a topic that’s likely top-of-mind at this time of year.

Our Food Safety training courses are designed to equip you with practical skills and up-to-date knowledge. This January the AsureQuality Academy is running our Introductory Food Safety course, as well as our Introductory and Refresher HACCP courses.

📅 Enrol now for our January 2025 courses and make food safety your top priority this summer - https://www.asurequality.com/academy/course-finder/programmes?DateRange=01%2F01%2F2025+-+31%2F01%2F2025&action_programmes=Show+Courses&Delivery=

19/12/2024

Food safety is a critical aspect of governance for food-related businesses due to its impact on public health, legal compliance, and organisational reputation. Understanding directors’ responsibilities in meeting food safety obligations is important for all organisations involved in food production and manufacturing.
We’re excited to introduce our new Food Safety Governance Training, a half-day course designed specifically for directors and executives in the food production and manufacturing sectors.
Delivered in partnership with the New Zealand Institute of Directors, this expert-led course equips you with the tools to lead your organisation’s approach to food safety compliance. Spaces are limited — secure your spot today! 🎓https://www.asurequality.com/academy/course/prgt-5259820

16/12/2024

Testing continues in our food laboratories right across the holiday period (including Christmas Day!🎄). We’d like to acknowledge our teams who are working through, testing products for safety, quality and nutritional composition, and helping food manufacturers get their products to market.🎊You can find holiday operating hours for all our laboratories here: https://www.asurequality.com/contact/laboratory-operating-hours/

21/11/2024

Wrap up the year with new skills before the holiday break! 🎄🎓 Join AsureQuality Academy's online and in-person trainings this December in food safety, auditing, animal welfare and more. Get ready for a brighter 2025! 🌟 Explore courses here: bit.ly/49iF3J7

18/11/2024

AsureQuality’s stand was the hub for many inspiring conversations with NZ food exporters and others at the recent China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. Our Market Assurance team exhibited as part of the New Zealand Pavilion, where we enjoyed re-establishing connections and creating new relationships with diverse teams. It was an invaluable opportunity to understand the market needs and brainstorm on what additional value we could potentially bring to our customers.

A highlight of our participation was the launch of our New Zealand Grass-Fed Programme, which was met with great enthusiasm. We also had the privilege of witnessing the launch of new products from our partnered New Zealand exporters and we extend best wishes for their success in the Chinese market.

One key takeaway from the expo was the significant role livestreaming plays in retail branding. Most retail brands at CIIE had full-time livestreaming teams, effectively showcasing their stands and brand strength to stimulate consumer interest. At Market Assurance, we have been supporting our customers with livestreams for a few years, and we are excited to expand these efforts in the future.

The CIIE provided a fantastic platform for promotion, networking, and insights into the global industry. We look forward to future opportunities where we can support New Zealand food exporters on the global stage.

11/11/2024

We were pleased to welcome the JASANZ team on-site at AsureQuality recently for an audit of our accredited programmes. ✅

As a conformity assessment body (CAB), AsureQuality inspects, audits and certifies food products and processes from the farm through to the supermarket shelf, helping our customers access export markets and maintain consumer trust. 🔍So it’s essential that we are regularly assessed, to assure our customers of our competence, impartiality and conformance to rigorous standards. That’s why we’re pleased to work with JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia & New Zealand), the government-appointed body for Australia and New Zealand responsible for providing accreditation of CABs in the fields of and .📜JASANZ accreditation is internationally recognised as the peak seal of approval a CAB can achieve, so we were proud to complete another successful audit with the JAS-ANZ team.

07/11/2024

Our AsureQuality team has been busy supporting the Kura Kai NZ Christmas Pēke (bag) Campaign, donating grocery goods for students and families in need across South Auckland this holiday season🎄. Huge thanks to Sarah Lilly for coordinating this effort and to our team for their generous contributions. Marie Paterson, General Manager at Kura Kai shared how much these donations mean to our community❤️.

29/10/2024

29/10/2024

Advance your expertise with AsureQuality Academy’s November courses. From food safety to auditing, choose from engaging online or in-person sessions designed for professionals looking to lead in their fields. Secure your spot now! Explore more: https://www.asurequality.com/academy/course-finder/programmes?DateRange=01%2F11%2F2024+-+30%2F11%2F2024&action_programmes=Show+Courses&Delivery=

25/10/2024

Through a decade’s journey of supporting New Zealand food producers and exporters, the AsureQuality Assurance Marks team has learnt that consumers value AQ Assured products, not just for the trust that our Assurance Marks instil, but also for the authoritative AsureQuality endorsement behind them. 🛡️

To better reflect the full value of our offering, we are excited to announce the rebranding of Assurance Marks to Market Assurance – helping New Zealand food producers connect with global consumers through tailored product claims and brand endorsement solutions. ✅

Catch our Market Assurance team at the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) in November. There, we will support customers with co-marketing campaigns, further enhancing the premium profile of New Zealand products.

Read more: https://www.asurequality.com/about/news/market-assurance-new-name-broader-vision/

To better reflect the full value of our offering, we are excited to announce the rebranding of Assurance Marks to Market Assurance

24/10/2024

🪔🧨✨🎆❤️ Yesterday the team at the AsureQuality head office came together to celebrate , a special time to reflect and connect across cultures. It was a wonderful opportunity to share traditions and enjoy the warmth of community. Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Diwali! 🌟

16/10/2024

We’re excited to share this article in Business North Magazine, by Kim Newth, highlighting the redevelopment of our Auckland Food Laboratory. The three-year project includes new state-of-the-art automation and a dedicated people hub to improve efficiency and staff wellbeing. Thanks to Strong Group, Jasmax, and others for helping us bring this vision to life.
Check out the full story below⬇️

15/10/2024

🌍 Happy World Food Day from AsureQuality! 🍎🥦

Today, we celebrate the people behind Aotearoa’s trusted food system – from growers to farmers, producers, and everyone along the supply chain. Together, we are helping Aotearoa shape a better food world🌱.

As Kaitiaki Kai, guardians of food, we carry a deep responsibility to care for food and the environments it comes from.
https://www.asurequality.com/about/who-we-are/

AsureQuality provides the broadest range of food assurance services in NZ, with over 100 years of experience working in our food and production sectors.

11/10/2024

🎉 AsureQuality was proud to sponsor the Lifetime Achievement award at the New Zealand Food Awards, where Edmonds Cooking Baking Powder secured the title for 2024. The product is known to be an essential ingredient in every Kiwi household.

The Award was introduced in 2019 and celebrates Kiwi products that have withstood the test of time. The consumer loyalty to Edmonds Baking Powder is proof of the impact of its initial innovation.

Congratulations to all the finalists on behalf of AsureQuality and a further congratulations to Edmonds for this outstanding achievement.

27/08/2024

We're excited to connect with growers at the Horticulture Conference this week! 🌱Horticulture New Zealand

We take pride in working alongside our growers and exporters as they take their products to market by providing:
🌍 Internationally recognised auditing services
🌿 Organic certification
📝 Plant export certification
🔬 Laboratory testing services

Come down to Mercury Baypark in Mount Maunganui and visit the AsureQuality team at booth 32 to see how we can help you meet sustainability standards and market access requirements!🌟

➡️Learn more about our related services: https://lnkd.in/gDjf3Thd
➡️Event details: https://lnkd.in/gWmTbqNB

26/07/2024

AsureQuality is at the leading edge in food testing science and is proud to embrace diversity in the workplace. Come and meet with our women in science leaders on Monday 29th July at the University of Auckland. 🙌🏼

AUWS careers night is next Monday! We have 12 awesome companies joining us 🤗Get ready for a fantastic night of networking!🎉🙌

🗓️Date: Monday 29th July
⏳Time: 6:30 - 8:30PM
📍Location: OGGB Foyer (260-101)
🎟️ Tickets (free): Limited available, get yours now!
🍴Food: Light catering is provided

25/07/2024

Check this out! AsureQuality (Kaitiaki Kai) have held 11 team cook ups over this past year, engaging 84 of their staff! Business support is so important to us at Kura Kai as it means our freezers are topped up with a bulk supply of meals.

Incredible mahi AsureQuality – thank you!

If your team is also keen to have some fun and help Feed our Kaupapa (Cause), head to the Volunteer section in our bio to register!

25/07/2024

Unlock your potential with AsureQuality Academy's comprehensive training courses this August! 🎓 From food safety training to auditing skills, our courses are designed to inspire and educate. Whether you're seeking to advance your individual skills or enhance your team's expertise, experience the flexibility of classroom learning or bring our expert trainers to your workplace. 💡Don't wait – enroll in our August trainings now and take the next step in your professional journey!
https://www.asurequality.com/academy/course-finder/programmes?DateRange=01%2F08%2F2024+-+31%2F08%2F2024&action_programmes=Show+Courses&Delivery=&start=0