Synlait Milk, the Canterbury-based dairy processor, has announced a new partnership with US baby products manufacturer, Munchkin Inc, that could offer its 161 farmer suppliers a chance to earn well above the normal payout. Munchkin, a privately-held Californian company known for designing, manufacturing, and distributing innovative infant and toddler products, is planning to launch a new Grass Fed branded retail-ready …

NZBio has waded into the debate over using new biotechnologies, including genetic modification, backing a call by Treasury secretary Gabriel Makhlouf for another look at New Zealand’s attitude to risk. In a speech at Fieldays last week on making informed decisions about natural resources, Makhlouf said when new technologies come along, both genetically modified and non-genetically modified, New Zealand’s current system …

Fonterra Cooperative Group, the world’s largest dairy exporter, only told staff about the potential for hundreds of jobs to go several hours after chief executive Theo Spierings told media. Spierings fronted up to the media yesterday morning after widespread conjecture over a review underway and the involvement of business management consultant McKinsey & Co, and criticism over the cooperative’s underlying management …

Fonterra Cooperative Group chief executive Theo Spierings said he’s determined not to allow the dairy cooperative to fall below its current 87 percent share of the New Zealand milk pool, despite increased competition for supply. Spierings fronted up to the media this morning after widespread criticism of the dairy cooperative’s management performance following a weak half-year financial result, lower forecast dairy …

Fonterra Cooperative Group, the world’s largest dairy exporter, said it will be laying off hundreds of its 1,500 head office and support function staff in a major reshape of the business following the global decline in dairy prices. Chief executive Theo Spierings has fronted up to media today about the restructure following widespread criticism over the dairy cooperative’s management performance at a …

 Danone Nutricia, the French-owned infant formula maker, has reported a full-year loss it attributes to ongoing fallout from the Fonterra Cooperative Group’s botulism scare in 2013. The New Zealand subsidiary of the French food giant posted a loss of $1.19 million for calendar 2014, compared to a profit of $1.99 million a year earlier. Danone Nutricia ended its supply contract with …

The uncertain future of the dairy industry, seen as a bellwether for New Zealand’s primary sector and wider economy, is concerning many sector leaders, according to KPMG’s sixth Agribusiness Agenda survey. KPMG global head of agribusiness Ian Proudfoot said conversations about dairy have changed dramatically from a year ago when milk prices were at an all-time high and people thought price-setting on …

Fonterra Cooperative Group won’t confirm consulting firm McKinsey & Co is participating in a review of management performance at the world’s largest dairy exporter, even though its shareholders’ council has praised the appointment. The review was referred to obliquely in April as part of an announcement that Fonterra management team member Jacqueline Chow was being appointed to a new role – …

Fonterra Cooperative Group has opened applications for its farmer suppliers to lock in a guaranteed milk price for a portion of their milk in the coming 2015/2016 season in a price range of $4.85 per kilogram of milk solids to $5.25/kgMS, despite undersubscription for the last two offers. The upper limit matches the farmgate milk price forecast for the new season which …

Economic reform in China, one of New Zealand’s largest trading partners accounting for 22 percent of exports, is a lower priority than trying to save the future of the Communist party, according to Wall Street Journal columnist Andy Browne.  Speaking at a WSJ-organised event in Auckland on the future of New Zealand-China relations, Browne said the Chinese economy, the world’s second largest, is under …