Lewis Road investor Southern Pastures ties up with Westland Milk
By Paul McBeth
Jan. 31 (BusinessDesk) - Dairy farm fund Southern Pastures LP, which took a quarter stake in Lewis Road Creamery last
year, will link with Westland Milk Products as a supplier from the 2018/19 season and with plans for a high-value
product joint venture. Separately, Westland cut its forecast milk payout for this season.
Southern Pastures and Westland signed a letter of intent where the dairy farm investor's nine Canterbury farms will
supply an extra 4 million kilograms of milk solids to Westland from 2019, and investigate a business case for a 50/50
joint venture to create products from free-range, grass-fed milk based on strict animal welfare, health, sustainability,
climate change and human rights standards.
"The objective to supply free-range, grass-fed milk will not be restricted to the Southern Pastures farms," Westland
chair Pete Morrison said in a statement. "Any Westland shareholder who can meet the standards required will also be able
to supply and take advantage of the additional income that results."
Last October, Southern Pastures took a 25 percent stake in Lewis Road Creamery to support the premium dairy company's
export aspirations. If the Westland joint venture goes ahead, Southern Pastures would supply some of the milk produced
at those Canterbury farms into Lewis Road products.
Westland said the tie-up will have an immediate benefit for the Hokitika-based company, with Lewis Road becoming a
"significant new customer" for grass-fed milk produced.
Southern Pastures executive chair Prem Maan said the fund wants to boost its exposure to premium markets where consumer
demand is based on values rather than simply the cost.
"We foresee massive disruption in the lower value commodity markets from the likes of synthetic proteins and factory
farming," Maan said.
Southern Pastures will become a Westland shareholder, choosing the country's second-biggest dairy cooperative because of
its recent turnaround, board restructure and focus on nourishment as opposed to commodity products.
"Our advisers have calculated that our move will add to the Westland payout from the very first season providing a real
economic fillip to the region," Maan said.
Separately, Westland joined other dairy processors in downgrading its forecast payout for the current season to between
$6.20-and-$6.50 per kilogram of milk solids, from a previous range of $6.40-to-$6.80/kgMS.
(BusinessDesk)