Wednesday, 03 September 2025 16:25

Buttery prize

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having the last laugh when it comes to cashing in on NZ grass-fed butter.

Open Country’s new automated butter plant began churning out butter last month.

And Milking It understands that the country’s second largest milk processor has already locked in a major customer – Costco Global in the US.

With Costco NZ – with turnover of around $360 million – buying its butter from Westland Milk in Hokitika, Open Country has gone for the big prize. Costco Global owns over 828 warehouse stores, mostly in the US, plus some in Canada and Mexico.

Owned by the Talley’s Group, Open Country Dairy butter could soon be appearing on Costco shelves in North America.


 Read More:


More like this

FTA woes

OPINION: Another example of the dairy sector getting shortchanged in free trade deals?

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.

Featured

Lincoln Student Awarded Dairy Scholarship

The South Island Dairy Event has announced Jessica Findlay as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship Programme, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.

Bridge Pā Table Grape Harvest Starts Weeks Early

Budou are being picked now in Bridge Pā, the most intense and exciting time of the year for the Greencollar team – and the harvest of the finest eating grapes is weeks earlier than expected.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

FTA and Uber Drivers

OPINION: Expect the Indian free trade deal to feature strongly in the election campaign.

Ice Cream Deal

OPINION: One of the world's largest ice cream makers, Nestlé, is going cold on the viability of making the dessert.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter