Paul Ruddenklau
Paul Ruddenklau, one of the company's original co-founders and directors, lives in the Te Anau basin with his wife Tracey and two boys, Josh and Charlie. Paul has just over 16 years of experience in the organic industry, and he brings a depth of knowledge and skills to everyone at New Zealand Organic Meats. Paul spends a significant amount of time on the two farms he manages, Kilbrannan and Mt Brown, which provide NZOM. When he is not on the farm, Paul may be found in the office, working on NZMO's day-to-day operations and connecting with suppliers and processors. He is always on the search for new and exciting opportunities, as well as consistently growing the domestic market. Outside of NZOM, he is an exceptional entrepreneur for sustainable agricultural initiatives, and he pursues his passion in a variety of other businesses.
Neville Parkinson
Neville Parkinson, one of the company's initial co-founders and directors, lives with his wife Marlene on Tepeka, a 480-hectare property near Waimahaka village. Neville has over 15 years of experience and skills in the organic industry and is a key driver and supporter of New Zealand organic farming. Neville builds strong connections with everyone he meets in the organic sector. Neville is in charge of NZOM's livestock and transport logistics. Outside of NZOM, you may find him in his truck and trailer hauling livestock or bulk across New Zealand, another passion-driven business of Neville's.
Australia Organic Meats
Australian Organic Meats Group is a partnership between two long-standing farming families with a strong history in organic and sustainable agriculture. The Tully and O'Leary families each represent over 100 years of farming history in Australia and are foundation members of the Australian organic movement. Their families have demonstrated that farming needs to be run in connection with our natural environment. They value integrity, loyalty, reliability, and their rural history.
In 2019, NZOM made a successful partnership with Australian Organic Meats (AOM). They worked with Matt O'Leary and Simone Tully to find markets for organically certified, grass-fed beef and lamb both in New Zealand and around the world.
Tessa Drummond
Tessa was born in New Zealand's South Island and spent the first seven and a half years of her childhood on a dairy farm just outside of Clinton. Her family moved to Cromwell, in Central Otago, just before she turned eight. She has spent the past 15 years in Central Otago, by the lake and in the mountains, living the Central Otago dream. Tessa has always been a country girl at heart and recently relocated to be with her partner in Dacre, Southland. NZOM is very happy to have Tessa on the team. She has an administrative and managerial background and has been a great addition to the team.
