April update from Kea

Kia ora and welcome to Kea’s online monthly report, showcasing our highlights for April 2021.

The Kea team are launching into April with two exciting initiatives. After such an overwhelming response to our Welcome Home survey, Kea has launched the Future Aspirations Survey to provide an updated view on Kiwi talent around the world, including those looking to return home, what barriers they face and what they might need to thrive.

Complementary to this, Kea in partnership with the EMA have launched the Kea New Zealand Talent Survey to understand which opportunities are crucial to the success of New Zealand businesses at this moment in time and in the future. The results will help Kea understand the landscape of available roles and how returning Kiwis could complement existing teams, bringing diverse thinking and fresh perspectives to help Kiwi businesses thrive. We look forward to sharing some of the insights we gather in the coming months. 

This month we caught up with two exciting emerging Kiwi export businesses, Angel Foods and Celo about how Kea Connect assisted in crucial market validation through facilitating on-the-ground and peer-to-peer conversations. We also chatted to returned Kiwi couple Brooke and Carrick Graham about their skincare start-up TE WAI to get an update on how our initial market validation support amplified their export interests, and the key learnings they gained from their first export venture into China. 

Highlighting further business support at home, our Global Director of Government and Industry provides an update on three initiatives designed to guide businesses on how to implement sustainable practices, leverage Expo 2020, and increase digital capabilities.

Finally, this month we asked our Regional Directors what they saw as the number one growth opportunity for Kiwi export businesses. With the B Corp movement skyrocketing in the UK, huge post-bubble job growth across the Tasman and offshore duty-free sales likely to exceed 60 billion yuan in Hainan, there is huge global potential for Kiwi export businesses.

Read on to find out more.

• GROWTH THROUGH KEA CONNECT
• INSIGHTS FROM OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
• GOVERNMENT UPDATE
• KEA CONNECT: SPOTLIGHT ON ESSENTIAL MARKET VALIDATION FOR HEALTH-TECH AND NICHE F&B
• IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
• TRENDING AT KEA
• UPCOMING EVENTS
• CONNECTIONS THIS MONTH
• HOW KEA CAN HELP

ORGANIC KIWI BEAUTY BRAND SEEKING MARKET VALIDATION SUPPORT

This month we speak with the Founders of Kea Connect business TE WAI, a New Zealand made and inspired beauty brand. Since 2018, TE WAI has received continued support from Kea Connect, from market validation to opening in-market conversations. With their recent announcement as finalist in the UK’s Pure Beauty Global Awards, and a forecast double in sales over the next 6 months, it’s an exciting time for TE WAI.

READ MORE

USA

Earth Day this month stood witness to a renewed global focus on meaningful, sustained change, with President Biden convening the largest virtual gathering of world leaders at the Leaders Summit on Climate. President Biden pledged to cut United States carbon emissions by 50 – 52 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030. New Zealand businesses have carved out successful niches in North America with products and solutions aimed at helping address climate change, from automated pest control helping to protect forests and encourage biodiversity, to allowing online shoppers to buy carbon credits at a click. This renewed focus on reducing carbon emissions will impact US businesses of all sizes, turning the spotlight onto uncovering solutions where Kiwi businesses are well positioned to help.

At the same time Kiwi tech companies are hot property in North America after the acquisition last month of two stand-out New Zealand-grown technology businesses – US-based Bentley Systems (Nasdaq:BSY) entering into an agreement to acquire Seequent for USD1.05 Billion and Canada-based Lightspeed (NYSE: LSPD) acquiring Vend for USD350 Million. The opportunities for growth of innovative New Zealand businesses in North America look bright. Watch this space.

Saya Wahrlich, Kea Global Director, Government & Industry

UK & EUROPE

The B Corp movement has been growing since 2007 as a collection of companies driven by an important mission: to create an inclusive and equitable economic system. To date, the community has grown to more than 3900 participating companies. 

Learn how Kiwi businesses can use this growing trend when looking to export from our UK and Europe Regional Director, Sara Fogarty. READ MORE

CHINA

China plans to roll out 28 policies and measures to further liberalize and facilitate trade in the Hainan Free Trade Port. The move is intended to better implement a master plan released on June 1 last year, which aims to build Hainan into a globally influential, high-level free trade port by 2025.

Find out how Kiwi education providers can take advantage of some unique opportunities in the region from our China Regional Director, Ciara Liu. READ MORE

AUSTRALIA

The current pace of development and change in Australia is impressive to say the least.  With the launch of the Trans Tasman Bubble, Australian airlines are already winging their way across the ditch with impressive frequency.  The reactivation of the Trans Tasman flight routes will see many furloughed staff returning to work and further job opportunities generated. This is one of multiple sectors demonstrating positive signs of reactivation and growth.

Both the unemployment and underemployment rates have decreased over the past month, with job ads in Australia at a surprising 12 year high.  What does this mean for New Zealand businesses? Australian businesses are obviously in search of talent… New Zealand companies looking to hire people to represent them in Australia will need to be on point.

The current situation indicates the strength of Australia’s economic recovery and resulting business opportunities for New Zealand. Get amongst it NZ!

Anna Shere, Kea Ambassador, Australia

In time for Earth Day, the end of March saw the launch of the Climate Action Toolbox, a free, easy-to-use online tool developed by the Sustainable Business Network and supported by MBIE, BNZ, NZTE and other partners. The tool lets businesses identify key areas where they can reduce emissions, and gives step-by-step guides and links to information to help. 

For New Zealand businesses wanting to accelerate their growth in the Middle East, NZTE’s Expo Business Leverage Programme opened for registrations and kicks off in May with a series of webinars and presentations. 

MBIE’s Digital Boost programme continues to go from strength to strength, with almost 10,000 small businesses now participating. Keep a watch on the monthly Spotlight Series of business success stories, sharing how small business owners built skills and confidence through Digital Boost. 

Saya Wahrlich, Kea Global Director, Government & Industry

PLANT BASED F&B SEEKS MARKET VALIDATION IN THE US

Kea Connect supported a Kiwi F&B business in helping them validate their product for the USA consumer market. 

Angel Food produces dairy-free cheese alternatives suitable for the vegans, vegetarians or flexitarians. They are without gluten, nuts and soy, and fit perfectly into any plant-based diet while being totally allergy-friendly. 

As the Founder worked with NZTE on initial market validation research, Kea supported this work with on-the ground and peer-to-peer connections in this space. Kea facilitated three introductions for Angel Food:

• CEO of a thriving health food company based in the USA; 
• Owner of an alternate food company based in NZ who has successfully entered the USA market; and
• Sales and Marketing leader of a F&B company selling hemp beverages.

These individuals offered their experiences in the USA, and insights on whether Angel Food’s products suited the market, and where key opportunities for them may lie.

INNOVATIVE HEALTH-TECH COMPANY SEEKS GLOBAL INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Kea enabled in-market conversations for a Kiwi health-tech company to help shape their export strategy for the UK.

Celo was founded after the identification of a global problem: the use of public consumer tools in a healthcare setting (e.g. whatsapp, FB messenger). They have set out to solve this with the Celo platform – a secure communication platform for healthcare workers to share patient information, notes and advice. The platform tackles the issue of private and secure sharing of clinical records, and is compatible with iOS, Android, web, desktop. It has been described as The LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp for healthcare. 

As Celo looked to make inroads in the UK and European market, they sought connections in the UK who could:

• speak to what is happening in the healthcare space and the landscape
• provide insights on how they might take Celo to market; and
• help them understand the relevance and stage of their product in the market.

Kea facilitated conversation between Celo and four Kea members: the ex-Chair of NHS, a digital innovation and entry expert, an industry engaged executive and business technologist, and the Organisation Development Lead at NHS. 

Kea will continue to support Celo with connections in other international regions as part of their global strategy.

WHY NEW ZEALAND’S BIG APEC CHALLENGE IS SO IMPORTANT

Vangelis Vitalis, one of New Zealand’s most senior trade officials, talks to the New Zealand Herald about the key challenges they’re facing as we head into New Zealand’s APEC host year and why it’s so important for the region to shore up regional commitment and alignment.

SCREEN INDUSTRY SECURES LANDMARK AMAZON DEAL

Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash announced that a landmark deal has been agreed with Amazon for The Lord of the Rings series, securing multi-year economic and tourism benefits for New Zealand.

XERO DRAWS CONNECTION BETWEEN WELLBEING AND PRODUCTIVITY

New research commissioned by Xero and conducted by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research reveals the financial benefits of investing in wellbeing for small businesses. Xero’s guide, The Next Level offers tips for small businesses to get started with wellbeing, as well as digital tools to become more productive and more profitable.

THE COVID-19 BRAIN GAIN AND GIVING BACK

Kea CEO Toni Truslove spoke at the NEXT Foundation Outlook Breakfast discussing the Covid-19 brain gain and the philanthropic opportunities this presents for New Zealand. READ MORE

SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES FOR EVERY BUSINESS

Inspired by Earth Day, Kea shares four easy-to-use sustainability resources so you and your business can take direct action on climate change. 
READ MORE

“NO ONE IS SAFE UNTIL EVERYONE IS SAFE”

Kieran Bligh has spent the past year working all over the world on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. We catch up with him on the challenges of working at a cross-border level and the lessons he’s learned.  READ MORE

To help returning Kiwis settle back into New Zealand and help build their personal and professional networks, Kea are thrilled to be hosting ongoing monthly meetups for returners and their partners in Auckland, on the first Wednesday of each month.
Kea understands how important it is for our returning Kiwis to meet, network and share their experiences. Our next meetup is Wednesday May 5th, spread the word!

The Kea World Class New Zealand Awards are just a few weeks away. We look forward to celebrating with you on June 3rd 2021.

SECTORS KEA CONNECT SUPPORTED THIS MONTH

*Year to date reflects financial year commencing 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021