Kāpiti Wins Supreme Champion at International Cheese and Dairy Awards
Kāpiti's Triple Cream Blue cheese has been named Supreme Champion Cheese at the 2026 International Cheese and Dairy Awards in the United Kingdom.
The purpose-built facility, developed in partnership with Calder Stewart and nicknamed The Yard, brings fresh milk, as well as chilled, frozen and ambient dairy operations together in one modern location, strengthening distribution across the South Island and supporting customers both domestically and across the world.
The Yard is a high-capacity, future-ready distribution hub, significantly increasing storage capacity while streamlining inbound and outbound freight flows, helping reduce complexity across the South Island network and enabling faster, more reliable deliveries.
Lactalis Reinforces Long-Term Commitment to New Zealand
Following the company's recent expansion in New Zealand, Lactalis says teams have worked to support a smooth transition and maintain reliable service for customers, employees and partners throughout the move.
Pascal Francisque, Lactalis New Zealand chief executive, says the Christchurch Distribution Centre reflects the company's long-term commitment to strengthening operations in New Zealand.
"This facility is an important step in strengthening how we operate across the South Island. Our immediate focus has been ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining reliable service for customers," Francisque says.
"As we continue to integrate the business, we are investing in the infrastructure that supports that.”
“New Zealand is an important market for Lactalis, and we have confidence in the future of our business here and across our export markets,” he says.
Partnership Delivers Purpose-Built Facility
Ben Murphy, general manager of property at Calder Stewart, the developer behind the project, says the facility reflects a strong partnership and shared commitment to quality.
“We are proud to have partnered initially with Fonterra, and now with Lactalis New Zealand, to deliver a purpose-built facility of this scale and complexity," Murphy says.
"The Yard is designed to support long-term growth, with a focus on efficiency, safety and sustainability. It shows what can be achieved through close collaboration,” he adds.
Multi-Temperature Storage Supports Complex Dairy Operations
Designed to handle a complex mix of dairy products, the site provides multi-temperature storage and handling across fresh, chilled, frozen and ambient categories.
“Bringing multiple product streams into one modern site allows us to simplify our operations and improve coordination across the supply chain. That translates into more consistent and reliable service for our customers,” Francisque says.
