Open Country opens butter plant
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
The final liquidators report, issued last month, says every creditor has been paid in full. The report shows that $451,000 was paid for ordinary shares held by farmer shareholders. The company will be removed from the companies register.
ODH, touted as New Zealand's only 100% farmer-owned organic milk producer, was placed into voluntary liquidation one year ago. ODH collected milk daily from its farmer base, stretching from Northland to Wairarapa.
About 20% of that milk was turned into milk powders and nutritional products, processed at Waikato Innovation Park in Ruakura and generall exported to Australia and Asia, with some New Zealand customers as well.
It also produced Our's Truly brand liquid and UHT milk, cheese and milk powder using third party processors. The products were sold locally and exported.
