South Island-based Mt Cook Alpine Salmon has been awarded significant Government investment which will help refine and maintain its fully integrated operation. Callaghan Innovation is a Government agency set up to support hi-tech businesses in New Zealand, by increasing investment in research and development (R&D) to support long-term economic growth.
Chief operating officer for Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Janine Tulloch said the company was thrilled to receive the grant as R&D was an integral part of their business. “R&D underpins everything we do,” she said. “We’re developing a culture of continuous improvement and are keen not to simply adopt best practice but to be setting the new benchmarks. Increasingly, our high-end overseas customers are demanding it.”
To be eligible for funding, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon has committed to spending at least $300,000 a year on R&D, 20 per cent of which is reimbursed back to the company by Callaghan Innovation. It’s also outlined an R&D programme that would be a focus over the next three years. The programme includes new product development, operational equipment development, as well as a reduction in quality defects and overall site development and improvement.
