Nestlé Alliance Historic Step For NZ Dairy Farmers
Nestlé Alliance Historic Step For New Zealand Dairy Farmers
The formal establishment of Dairy Partners America
marks an historic day
for New Zealand dairy farmers,
Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd Chairman
John Roadley
said today.
"If, ten years ago, dairy industry leaders had
told us we would have an
equal alliance with Nestlé
providing rights to use its brands throughout
the
Americas, I doubt many of us would have believed it," Mr
Roadley said.
"That this alliance has been progressed to
this point underlines how far
we have come in recent
years and the opportunities that are now before
us
following the creation of Fonterra."
Mr Roadley said
the Fonterra board was confident the alliance was the
best
path forward to build Fonterra's position in the
Americas' US$100 billion
annual dairy market.
"In
recent years, we have established sound beachheads in the
Americas.
The alliance will enable us to move to the
next stage of the development
of our business, for the
benefit of New Zealand dairy farmers and the
country as a
whole."
Mr Roadley said he was looking forward to speedy
progress in having the
first of Dairy Partners Americas'
Joint Ventures established within three
months.
"This
alliance with the world's leading food company would not
have been
possible without shareholder support for last
year's dairy merger and the
creation of
Fonterra."
END