New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has built a database of over 60,000 Chinese consumers who are actively buying kiwi goods.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (as “NZTE”) has built a WeChat-based loyalty program for NZ companies called Taste New Zealand; the platform rewards those who buy NZ products and incentivise them to buy more.
About ‘Taste New Zealand’
Taste New Zealand‘s loyalty program, which was designed and built by UMS, enables consumers who purchase from NZ companies to scan a dedicated QR code to receive points and prizes.
Once consumers scan the QR code and sign up to the platform, they can play games and complete surveys to receive extra points, which are redeemed for prizes. They are also kept active with prize draws and rewards.
Taste NZ serves as a two-way communication channel connecting NZ brands and products with Chinese consumers. The platform features products from NZ
companies such as: Zespri, Fonterra, Sanitarium, GoodmanFielder, ecostore, Antipodes, Waiwara Water, Oravida, Esquires Coffee, Zealong Tea and Yealands Wines.
Taste NZ allows NZTE, which is the government agency responsible for trade facilitation, to take advantage of New Zealand’s strong country image to raise awareness of NZ brands and boost sales for companies. Taste NZ groups people with the potential to buy NZ products together and can leverage this interest to help promote other brands.
Maxwell Shi, Regional Marcomms Manager, Greater China, at NZTE, said, “The aim of the platform is to create a group of people with the potential and interest to keep purchasing NZ products.”
“For every one consumer who enters this program, they are then exposed 
to other New Zealand companies and brands which have similar values. The companies are helping each other and they are benefiting from each other.
“TasteNZ provides companies with exposure to consumers with a higher propensity to purchase from NZ brands, so each company is benefitting from each other.”
NZTE is working with UMS to utilise the database and capture consumer insights about the audience to help other New Zealand companies navigate the Chinese market.
NZTE is using the Taste NZ platform to conduct surveys and questionnaires to gain greater customer insights. These surveys are helping NZTE collect information on consumer attitudes and opinions of New Zealand brands, products and general category data.
Shi said, “This database is our asset, and we want to increase this and further promote New Zealand companies and products to the database. By leveraging the database with incentives to buy NZ products.
Shi plans to grow the program to reach 100,000 active consumers over the next two years. “We want the program to be sought after by NZ companies and consumers alike,” said Shi.
