Meet our ofi NZ team
Paul Johnson
Mobile 027 763 4695
A passionate rural professional, Paul is experienced in business development, account management and hands-on farming. He joined ofi from Fonterra where he was responsible for growing and retaining milk supply in the Waikato region. This included growing specialty milk supply programmes such as winter milk and A2.
Paul is looking forward to meeting with farmers to learn more about their business goals and how ofi can best support them, as well as contributing to the success of the South Waikato community.
Paul Rennie
Mobile 027 240 6487
Rural life runs in Paul’s blood having been raised on a South Auckland dairy farm and managed factories – including dairy plants in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty – for almost 20 years. He is experienced in FMCG, food manufacturing and almost all aspects of the supply chain through roles with Unilever, Fonterra and Tasti and thrives on building engaged and effective teams that deliver results.
Paul is excited to explore the value ofi can bring to the South Waikato community and share the best of New Zealand with the rest of the world.
Paul Johnson
Paul Rennie
Read ofi news
World Bee Day: How ofi is paying homage to buzzworthy pollinators supporting ecosystems
As one of the world’s largest almond growers, ofi has a deep understanding of the responsibility associated with sustainable farming practices. As an organization, ofi has committed to growing with a positive environmental impact
footprint, and as part of this effort, we are proud to protect and promote pollinator health in our bee-friendly orchards.
Nespresso recognizes ofi’s coffee teams in Peru and Colombia as strategic partners
ofi’s coffee businesses in Peru and Colombia have been awarded the title of “Strategic Partner” by Nespresso for their contribution to its successful AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program.
Nespresso’s AAA coffee sourcing program is designed to ensure the continued supply of high-quality coffee while also improving the livelihoods of farmers and protecting the environment. Its name was inspired by the respected AA standard, a hallmark of coffee quality around the world, with each A standing for one of the program’s three aims: quality, sustainability and productivity.
ofi’s field teams support these aims by providing farmers with year-round support and training to produce reliable, sustainable, and traceable coffee.
“Today’s consumers want more than just exceptional quality and flavor; they want to know the coffee they buy carries a positive story for the people and environment it came from. Together with Nespresso, we’ve supported over 2,850 coffee farmers across Peru and Colombia so far to meet this demand for coffee that delights on both the sensory and sustainability front. It’s through partnerships like this that we can create real change at scale for people and planet.” Prashant Jalan, Country head Peru for ofi’s coffee platform.
The program also contributes to ofi’s 2025 sustainability commitments under Coffee LENS. Launched a year ago, the roadmap sets out targets for improving livelihoods, communities and landscapes by 2025 across ofi’s global coffee supply chain.
ofi and Melitta partner to offer consumers differentiated and fully traceable coffee
An innovative coffee project with selected specialty coffees between ofi (olam food ingredients) and Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. KG – Coffee Division – combines the capabilities of blockchain with other digital tools to meet growing consumer demand for coffee that not only stands out for its aroma and taste but is also traceable - from farm to roaster.
“Consumers are increasingly interested in where their ingredients come from, but traceability is notoriously challenging in coffee supply chains because of their fragmented nature. The beans are sourced from smallholder farmers scattered across remote areas and often change hands multiple times before reaching the roaster”. Florian Schmidt, general manager, coffee at ofi.
“This is why we’re innovating with our customers to deepen our digital presence on the ground to improve traceability. This benefits both farmers and coffee lovers, who are becoming increasingly quality-oriented and experience-driven”, Schmidt continues.
At farm level, ofi sources high-quality lots via it's proprietary smartphone app from smallholder farmers located in the south-central region of Guatemala. It allows farmers to negotiate and transact with ofi directly. Each transaction is tagged with the farm location and date and provides the source data for Melitta’s SAP material traceability tool, using blockchain technology.
The sustainability insights platform AtSource adds a layer of transparency for customers. The social and environmental footprint of a coffee purchase can be measured across 100+ metrics, at various stages of the supply chain journey - at farmer group level, through processing and logistics, up to the roaster.
For the final consumer, scanning a second QR code on the back of their bag of Melitta Guatemala specialty coffee – like this one for a Guatemala Honey from producer Yoni Garcia - directs them to the unique story of the farmer and processing method behind their coffee.
