Meet the Team - Jason 'Zig' King

Meet Jason King ("Zig")

Ovine Planner at the ANZCO Foods corporate office

Jason King, better known as “Zig”, has dedicated an impressive 23 and a half years to ANZCO Foods.

As our Ovine Planner, Zig plays an important role in balancing supply and demand, ensuring optimal utilisation of lamb carcasses to get the best “bang for buck” from every animal.

Zig's journey at ANZCO Foods began at the Canterbury site, where he started as a Knifehand in Lamb Further Processing. He spent eight years honing his skills before moving into a supervisor position within the same department for another eight years. Afterward, he transitioned to the Ovine Planner role at the Canterbury site, and about four years ago, he moved to the corporate office in Christchurch to take on his current position.

Before joining ANZCO Foods, Zig worked at New World Ashburton. He began as a student and then worked full-time for a few months before making the transition to ANZCO Foods Canterbury.

When asked about what surprises him about working at ANZCO, he says it’s the opportunities – both in terms of career growth and personal development. He strongly believes that opportunities are there if you take the time to look, put your hand up, and be confident in your choices.

Zig has been fortunate to have been part of many experiences with ANZCO Foods. He’s had two work exchange stints in Iceland, has completed multiple professional development courses, and most recently has really challenged himself by taking part in the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN 70.3 (more on that later).

Jason’s nickname “Zig” has an interesting origin. It evolved from a series of childhood nicknames which gradually merged into a single word, which eventually became Zig at the age of 13 – and it’s stuck ever since.

Outside of work, Zig likes to play golf and has played since he was 14. He finds it a great way to unwind. He also enjoys spending time with his family, including his wife Rachel and their three children. Interestingly, Rachel also works at ANZCO Foods Canterbury.

As for any claims to fame, aside from his recent ANZCO Foods IRONMAN achievement, Zig is also proud to have been the captain of the Mid-Canterbury Junior Sports Team of the Year in 1998.

Zig’s IRONMAN journey

Before committing to the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN 70.3, Zig had only swum recreationally, with some fitness work in his twenties while playing football. As for the bike, he had spent his childhood riding to school and biking around for fun, along with some mountain biking. He also participated in a 23km fundraising race about 10 years ago. However, Zig had never ridden a road or time trial bike for more than a block. When it came to running, he admitted he wasn’t much of a runner. His brother challenged him to a 10km race about a decade ago, which Zig trained for. But despite running 12km once during training, an injury set him back which took his running training backwards.

Zig described the run as the hardest discipline by far. He began his IRONMAN training on the heavier side, which took a toll on his body. Overloading caused calf injuries, forcing him to stop running altogether. From there, he had to restart with a walk/run programme, starting with 30 seconds of jogging followed by 30 seconds of walking for just five minutes. It felt like a long road ahead, but he stuck to the plan and gradually built back up to the required training levels. Eventually, he ran more than 10km multiple times in training and reached 17km two weeks before the 21.1km run required for the 70.3 IRONMAN race.

On race day, Zig was confident in the swim and bike legs of the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN. He got off the bike feeling strong, but as soon as the run began, he cramped in one of his quads about 3km in. This threw off his cadence, and by the 8km mark, he hit the wall. At 12km, his other quad began cramping as well. From 12 to 18km, it was a particularly dark time mentally and physically. Fatigue was at an all-time high, and he found himself doubting his ability to keep going. This section of the race also featured some brutal rolling hills, adding to the difficulty.

However, Zig pushed through by reminding himself that this was the moment he had trained for. He kept telling himself that when you think you can’t go on, you’re only halfway there. He began breaking the race down into smaller, more manageable sections. First, he focused on reaching the next aid station, then promised himself he could walk up the next hill if he ran down the other side. He then set his sights on the next group of spectators, taking time to high-five the kids cheering him on. When he reached the crest of the last hill at around 18km, he knew the crowd would carry him the rest of the way. From there, the thought of the finish line kept him going.

Zig confirmed that the IRONMAN was by far the most physically and mentally demanding challenge he had ever faced. It was enough to make a grown man cry — literally. However, the trauma quickly faded and today’s plan is to train to do the FULL ANZCO Foods IRONMAN in 2026 (a 3.8km swim, 180km bike, and 42.2km run). He reserves the right to change his mind later in the year!

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