A Year of Delivery for Fonterra
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
Fonterra has confirmed the appointment of Teh-han Chow as chief executive officer, Greater China.
Since December 2019, Teh-han has been at the helm in an acting capacity, overseeing the co-op’s overall Greater China business, including Ingredients, Foodservice, Consumer Brands and China Farms. He replaced Christina Zhu.
Fonterra has had mixed results in China; while its ingredients and food service businesses have soared, China Farms business has struggled to make money.
The co-op has decided to offload China Farms, which carry 31,000 milking cows housed in a feedlot system and are now worth $500 million.
Over the past 10 years the co-op has invested over $1 billion in the farms with very little returns.
In its interim results announced in April, the co-op wrote down another $61m from the farms’ value. Last year it wrote down $200m.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says Chow has made an impressive contribution but points out that “it’s certainly not been a steady-state”.
“Teh-han has been responsible for implementation of our new strategy across the Greater China business, and over the course of this calendar year, has shown outstanding resilience, resourcefulness and empathy in getting his team and our China business through the ongoing challenge of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“Teh-han’s leadership has helped keep us in good shape during a very challenging set of circumstances, and I’m delighted to welcome him formally to the Fonterra management team – it’s well deserved”.
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Dairy farmers, still holding onto their Fonterra shares despite switching milk supply elsewhere or exiting the industry, now face a stricter share sell-down requirement.
Hamilton-based agritech company Aimer Farming has completed a $3 million capital raise to support its next stage of growth, including a beef farming product due to launch in 2027.
When dairy manager Miriam Lauridsen learned the farm, she was joining held weekly health and safety meetings, she initially thought that was “a bit over the top”. Experiencing that culture changed her mind.
Nominations are open for the 2027 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.