Showcasing our farms and milk to the world

Co-op farms host international customers annually to show them where our milk comes from.

The Co-op supplies milk to some of the world’s largest food consumer groups across all four corners of the globe. Whether you’re in Europe, the Americas, Asia, or Africa, chances are you’ll find our milk products on your travels. 

Each year, the Co-op hosts international customers who want to work with Fonterra, and are keen to see for themselves how we produce milk of such a high quality.

Some of our recent groups visited  from Japan and China, including representatives from Asahi Group  Food, Xiamen C&D, and Global Cheese, and numerous others for the Grass Fed Conference.

Strengthening Trust

Logistics Director Greater China Kitty Zou hosted the Xiamen C&D group in October last year taking the group to a farm in Brookby, near Auckland. Since 2018, Xiamen C&D has partnered with the Co-op to distribute Foodservice products to China’s professional catering market including butter sheets, cream cheese and quick frozen mozzarella.  

“We were honoured to host our largest partner from Greater China last year. The visit allowed them to personally understand our efforts in promoting sustainable development in pasture management and animal welfare."

We demonstrated that food safety is ensured throughout the collection, storage, and gathering process of raw milk, which boosts consumer confidence in food safety from the source. This visit further strengthened our partner’s trust in our products,” Kitty says. 

A member of the Xiamen C&D group said the visit gave them an insight into the Co-op’s operations on-farm and its commitment to animal welfare. 

“During our visit to the farm, we gained a comprehensive understanding of Fonterra’s core philosophy, which emphasises adherence to natural principles and sustainable development. The farmers maintain high milk quality through their generational dairy expertise and dedication to cow welfare. Fonterra’s meticulous attention to cow care and its commitment to environmental responsibility are consistent with Xiamen C&D Inc.’s mission of creating new value and enabling more people to live a better quality life. We anticipate collaborating further with Fonterra to develop innovative models in the pursuit of sustainable development.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to Fonterra farmers for their dedication  and unwavering commitment to milk quality. Your contributions are vital to  the well-being of humans, animals, and the environment. We eagerly anticipate further strengthening our collaboration with Fonterra and its farmers to jointly advance the sustainable development of the dairy industry and deliver nutritious dairy products to families worldwide.” 

The Grass Fed Conference in November saw more than 100 participants representing customers from across China, Japan, Thailand and other areas visit the Co-op’s headquarters, manufacturing sites, and a dairy farm. This visit was a chance for customers  to learn more about why grass-fed dairy is the best. 

One of the Co-op’s Greater China team said customers were amazed at the nutrition levels provided by New Zealand milk products. 

“Our customers were deeply impressed by the unique goodness of New Zealand dairy. The concept of grass-fed was strongly imprinted in their minds!”

'The Pamphlet come to life'

Steve Atkinson hosted the group on his 193 hectare farm near Waharoa (just north of Matamata) where he milks 700 jersey cows and says the participants were very positive about the whole experience. 

“I had some of them tell me that it was as if ‘the pamphlet that they get sent with the milk had come to life’. It was a great experience for them and our team. I really enjoy having international customers visit and being able to take them out for a walk through the paddocks and have genuine conversations with them along the way,” he says.

Grass-fed Happiness

Another group who visited New Zealand from Asahi Group Foods said the visit was the first time they had ever set foot on a dairy farm in New Zealand.

“We have been using your products for many years, but visiting a New Zealand dairy farm was a first-time experience for us. We had heard about ‘grass-fed’ before, but seeing the actual scene up close was truly impressive. Watching the cows happily eating the lush green grass in the vast fields made me realise for the first time what it truly means to be ‘grass-fed’. In Japan, it is almost impossible to practice ‘grass-fed’ farming due to limited land, so this was my first time seeing it,” they said.

“It was enlightening to see that you are committed to sustainable operations that do not burden the environment, ensuring the maintenance of an excellent rearing environment. Additionally, I learned that ‘grass-fed’ cows, raised in a stress-free environment, remain healthy and continue to produce milk for a longer period compared to grain-fed cows.  

I believe it would be beneficial for more people in Japan to recognise the value of products made from milk produced by cows raised in such a healthy and happy environment.

“Through this visit, I saw that the Co-op’s vision of  ‘the source of the world’s most valued dairy’ is being realised through the individual efforts of each dairy farmer," says an Asahi Group Foods representative. 

"Our company has been using your products for over 30 years. I was deeply impressed to learn that our products come from cows raised in such a happy environment. I understand that there  are many challenges, but we will continue to use your high-quality products, and we look forward to your continued support.”

Unique Opportunity to be on-farm

Co-operative Services Area Manager Jill Pauling has been with the Co-op for the past 22 years and has hosted many international customers from all around the world. 

I get as much out of each trip as the international visitors do. It’s great to learn more about our customers and take this information back to our shareholders, the farmers, and be able to show the value in providing farm data and insights to the Co-op.The information is gold. A lot of the visitors we have coming over are direct sellers of our products and they’re able to take all the information they learn on their trip back to their own customers and tell our story,” she says. 

“The visitors from Asian countries especially enjoy the opportunity to walk through a paddock, most of them have never seen large areas of grass before  let alone walk through a paddock and learn about the different types of grasses – we can pick different grass species and show them what rye and clover looks like, which is the main component of the cows' diet, and the positive impact it has on the cows’ health and production. During the recent visit, the customers were fascinated by the rotary milking shed and having the opportunity to go downstairs and see it working, with the cows looking down at them. They were in boots and all.”

Talk to your local Co-operative Services Area Manager if you are interested in hosting an international group on your farm.