Synlait's back
OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.
Is ice cream falling out of favour of major dairy companies in New Zealand?
Last year, Fonterra sold its iconic Tip Top ice cream business to UK-based Froneri. Now Canterbury milk processor Synlait has sold its Deep South brand and associated ice cream operations to Talley’s Group for an undisclosed sum.
New owner Talley’s is one of NZ’s biggest ice cream manufacturers. The company also owns a majority stake in Open Country Dairy and wholly owns meat processor Affco.
The 42-year old Deep South brand was owned by Dairyworks since 2016. Last year Synlait bought Dairyworks as part of its strategy to grow its consumer brands footprint in cheese and butter.
Synlait chief executive Leon Clement says the decision to sell the Deep South ice cream brand is in line with that strategy.
Dairyworks chief executive Tim Carter says Dairyworks is going through a period of rapid expansion in its core categories of cheese, speciality cheese, yogurt, and convenience butters.
“While Deep South is a successful part of our current portfolio, ice cream is not our core business. The brand has strong growth potential for a business more focused on ice cream.”
When buying Dairyworks, Synlait said the acquisition would provide Synlait with another meaningful move towards the delivery of its ‘Everyday Dairy’ strategy and complemented the company’s recent purchase of cheese manufacturer Talbot Forest.
“This business is a great strategic fit for us and an important step in growing our presence in the Everyday Dairy category,” Synlait said.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.