Meet the Team - Stretch

Stretch is ANZCO Foods Rangitīkei's LAC (Lamb Automatic Cutter) Operator. ‘Stretch’ is the nickname she's had her whole life - hardly anyone at Rangitīkei knows her actual name!

Stretch's day-to-day role includes the monitoring and cleaning chillers, making sure the correct carcasses are in the right place, ready for the cut plan on the LAC, and making sure the orders are fulfilled to the right specifications. Stretch's works closely with managers, supervisors, and boning room team members, and with engineering and external contractors, like Scott's Engineering who help to keep the LAC machine working at it's full potential.

She has more than 30 years' experience in the meat industry. Nearly 18 of those have been with ANZCO, so she's hugely knowledgeable about all areas of the boning room. When she started out, she was on the blue shift which was two days on and two days off. Since then, she's worked as a packer, a chiller hand, and knife hand.

She's been surprised at all the changes and upgrades the site's had since she started. The boning room is quite different now - it used to be three rooms and now it's one big room. The capacity is different too - a good tally used to be 2,000 head a day, and now it's about 3,000 on a good day.

Outside of work, Stretch enjoys spending time with whānau and friends, and has a passion for the outdoors. Stretch is a keen kai gather, and enjoys hunting, diving and fishing - many weekends are spent on the boat with her husband and moko. She's seen quite a bit of the lower North Island, and usually heads to the Wairarapa coast for fishing and diving. There's nothing quite like the fresh air of the sea, or getting out into the bush after a week of work.

Fun facts:

• Coffee or tea?
  Both
• Favourite vegetable?
  Any - except brussels sprout
• Favourite thing to have for dinner?
  Chops or steak, and mushrooms on the side
• If you could instantly learn any other language, what would it be?
  English!
• Favourite TV show of all time?
  Bonanza