Tauranga-based Taura Natural Ingredients has completed the first phase of the launch of its new bagged snack product in 700 7-Eleven convenience stores across Thailand, despite the political unrest in the Southeast Asian nation.
"The unrest hasn't really affected the launch," said Taura general manager Peter Tinholt.
"But it's all gone a bit slower than we would have liked," he added, saying that was a result of the way business was sometimes done in Thailand and had nothing to do with the political problems.
Taura announced last November during a trade mission led by Prime Minister John Key that it had reached an agreement with Thai company Joe-Ry Family to launch the new snack product, Wel-B Fruit Bites (see sidebar).
The snack is 100 per cent manufactured in New Zealand and packaged and distributed in Thailand by Joe-Ry Family.