Friday, 18 August 2017 07:55

Fonterra resumes pizza cheese production in Oz

Written by 
Victorian farmers who supply Fonterra’s Stanhope plant – Jared and Courtney Ireland with children Addison, 8 and Logan, 6. Victorian farmers who supply Fonterra’s Stanhope plant – Jared and Courtney Ireland with children Addison, 8 and Logan, 6.

Fonterra is eyeing a bigger slice of the booming Asian pizza business for its Australian-made cheese.

Mozzarella production is resuming in Australia, at the co-op’s new cheese plant in Stanhope, northern Victoria; the plant will be officially opened on Friday.

Fonterra Australia managing director René Dedoncker says China, particularly, has strong demand for the cheese, which tops at least half the pizzas made there.

“In China, the growth in Western-style foodservice outlets has meant more opportunities for Chinese people to try cheese and many are developing a taste for it, particularly on pizza. The market potential is enormous,” says Dedoncker.

Farmers Jared and Courtney Ireland run a 450-cow dairy farm in the rural town of Lockington in northern Victoria. Their fresh milk is supplied to Fonterra’s Stanhope plant and will be used to make mozzarella for China. 

Courtney says he enjoys seeing his milk going to high-value mozzarella for China.

“My family loves eating pizza... and we can tell our children our farm’s milk goes into making mozzarella for pizzas in China.

“Stanhope’s new cheese plant coming online gives us confidence in a strong, sustainable future for dairy in Australia.”

About 40% of people in urban China now eat at Western-style fast food outlets once a week, and the use of dairy in foodservice has grown 30% in five years.

“As disposable incomes rise in China, spending on dining out is growing, and pizza is a popular menu choice.

“This supports our strategy to be Fonterra’s global ingredients hub for cheese, whey and nutritionals, complementing our consumer and foodservice businesses.

“This helps us move our farmers’ milk up the value chain into higher-value dairy products, which means sustainable returns for everyone in the supply chain, starting at the farm gate.”

More like this

Fonterra vote

OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.

Featured

$2b boost in NZ exports to EU

New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.

US tariffs hit European ag machinery markets

The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.

Tributes paid to Jim Bolger

Dignitaries from  all walks of life – the governor general,  politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and  friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fonterra vote

OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.

Follow the police beat

OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter