Organic soup and risotto maker Pitango is eyeing export opportunities as it ramps up production with a new factory in Auckland.
A year ago the company was in receivership and was bought by Beak & Johnston, an Australian food producer.
Today, Pitango's products are the market leader in Australia, a close second in New Zealand, with sales hitting more than $20 million last year.
Managing director Graeme Laurence, who joined Pitango a couple of months ago, has big plans for the company.
''We're going to invest $3 million over the next six months,'' he said and product trials with domestic supermarkets would begin by the end of June.
Mr Laurence said Pitango is currently in talks with supermarkets in the United States, Korea and Japan.
He also sees opporunity to export Pitango's products to China in the future, as Chinese consumers are crying out for safe, good quality food from New Zealand.
