Global dairy giant Fonterra has once again demonstrated its commitment to New Zealand’s dairying communities with the opening of four new plants across the South Island that will create approximately 60 new full time jobs between them.
The company has officially opened the new mozzarella plant at its Clandeboye site near Timaru along with three new plants at its southernmost site at Edendale.
Fonterra Managing Director Global Operations Robert Spurway said the new manufacturing capacities would prove to be beneficial not only for the Co-operatives 10,500 farmers but also for rural and regional economies.
“The buoyancy of New Zealand’s rural economies has long been the backbone of our national economy,” Mr Spurway said, adding that the expansions would also help Fonterra deliver on its strategy to shift milk into more products that deliver higher returns.
“Investing in dairy processing in towns like Clandeboye and Edendale supports the local dairy workforce, brings opportunities for trades, consultants and contractors and has a flow-on effect for a range of local businesses.”
Fonterra Director Leonie Guiney said the site expansions had already contributed to Fonterra’s improved results in the first quarter of the current financial year.
“Our new plants enabled our Co-op to avoid incurring additional costs at the peak of the current season. We are achieving higher yields and quality, and the flexibility to vary our product mix is enabling us to earn margins above the prevailing market prices,” Ms Guiney said.
