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New Zealand’s food sector has avoided major supply chain disruption so far this year, but rising fuel, freight, insurance and input costs are continuing to squeeze margins and cashflow across manufacturing, wholesale and retail. Joel Gauntlett says these are no longer temporary economic conditions; they are now part of normal trading. He reveals what the more resilient businesses are focusing on to cope with this perpetual volatility.

It’s been a tough year for local food and beverage manufacturers. Shoppers have cut their retail spending to cope with a rising cost of living and higher interest rates. Per capita retail spending has been falling since January, in tandem with a weakening labour market and rising unemployment.