Specialty Milks

Summary:

Here you’ll find an overview of each Specialty Milk Programme - what’s involved, key requirements, and how to learn more - so you can choose what suits your farm and goals.

To meet customer demand and deliver value across different markets, Fonterra offers four specialty milk programmes: Organic, Winter Milk, Stolle, and A2.

Specialty Milk Programmes

Specialty milks help you access high-value markets and support innovative dairy products.

Organic Milk

Fonterra’s expanding Organic Programme provides more opportunities for farmers.
Organic opens access to premium global markets.
Historically, organic milk has returned an average $2.05/kgMS premium above the Farmgate Milk Price.*

* Future returns may vary

What’s Involved

Converting to organic takes time – usually up to three years to meet Fonterra’s certification standards, and we can support you on this journey.

Visit the Supplying Fonterra Organic page

Already Organic? Check your organic advance rate schedule.

Find out more

Our Customer Service Team is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone 0800 65 65 68

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Winter Milk

The following details relate to the Winter of 2028. For details on winter milk for 2027, please refer to the section further below.

Winter milk is strategically important as Fonterra needs a certain amount of year-round fresh supply to support, customer, and high-value product requirements.

Fonterra runs a Winter Milk Programme to support the collection of milk during the winter period.

Where milk is supplied under a Winter Supply Agreement, or a legacy winter milk contract, it is referred to as ‘Winter Milk’.

A Winter Supply Agreement is an annual, optional contractual commitment to supply milk consistently through the 30-day winter period applicable to your region, that earns a premium.

Eligible farmers can choose whether to participate each season. The premium will be published in time for the opening of the application window.

The winter periods differ between the North and South Island to reflect the differences in seasonal timing:

Winter period
- North Island: 1 June – 30 June
- South Island: 16 June – 15 July

Fonterra will no longer pay a premium for uncontracted winter milk from Winter 2028.
Review the handbook below for more information.

Winter Milk Handbook 2028

Key Winter Supply Agreement terms - Winter 2028

What’s involved

Winter period
- North Island: 16 May – 15 July
- South Island: 1 June – 31 July
Two options
- Contract Winter Milk – Formal agreement with set standards, minimum daily supply, and stepped premiums.
- Uncontracted Winter Milk – No contract, but still earns a premium per kgMS.
Quality standards - High milk quality is essential to avoid penalties.
Environmental requirements - Effluent and sustainability compliance apply.

Read the handbook below for more information.

Winter Milk Handbook

Find out more

Our Customer Service Team is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone 0800 65 65 68

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Stolle Milk

Fonterra is the sole global producer of Stolle powder, making it a premium, specialised programme.
Its “hyper‑immune” milk contains natural immune factors used in human health products.
The programme has been running in Waikato since the early 1990s. Around 26,000 cows are part of the programme, all near Morrinsville in the North Island.

What’s involved

Each cow is treated to naturally boost immune factors in its milk. Herds must meet strict criteria:

Be in the right location.
Have suitable facilities.
Demonstrate an exceptional milk quality history.

Note: There are currently no new spaces in the programme.

Find out more

Our Customer Service Team is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone 0800 65 65 68

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a1 protein free milk

a1 protein free (a1PF) lets farmers supply a growing consumer segment seeking easier‑to‑digest milk.
It’s produced by cows that naturally produce only the a2 beta‑casein protein.