WELLINGTON, April 9  -- New Zealand food and beverage firms are pooling expertise in a new campaign to raise their presence in the China market, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said Thursday.

Joyce said he had officially opened the Shanghai office of Primary Collaboration New Zealand (PCNZ) to boost the export ambitions of a coalition of New Zealand's major primary sector brands.

"PCNZ is a trailblazing collaboration between New Zealand companies who are showing how innovative models can overcome size and scale challenges in large markets such as a China," said Joyce, who is currently in Shanghai, in a statement from his office.

PCNZ member companies included seafood firm Sealord, meat cooperative Silver Fern Farms, Synlait Milk, winemaker Villa Maria Estate, Maori-owned food company Kono and regional conglomerate Pacific Pace, which collectively represented about 3 billion NZ dollars (2.26 billion U.S. dollars) worth of New Zealand's worldwide trade.

"The PCNZ partnership is an indication of the opportunities that can be realised when New Zealand companies team up to boost their international presence and provide a larger scale of business in foreign markets," said Joyce.

New Zealand trade officials were also working with other like- minded companies to explore the potential for further collaborations to increase export growth.

"Our small size means we need to be innovative to succeed internationally, and I welcome this smart approach to increase competitiveness through collaboration."