Fonterra shaves 50c off forecast milk price
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
New Zealand milk will be used for a new certified organic grass-fed infant formula offering by Bubs Australia Ltd.
Beingmate will be the distributor in China but in a partnership agreement with Bubs, not Fonterra.
Bubs says itwill be the first company to offer Australian made certified organic grass-fed infant formula, after entering into a supply agreement with Fonterra Australia to produce Bubs Organic new infant formula range.
Fonterra will supply Bubs with organic milk powder, sourced from its organic milk pool in New Zealand, which will be manufactured at its plant in Darnum, Victoria.
The conditional supply agreement runs for an initial term until July 31, 2021.
The Bubs Organic new range of infant formula will be available in Chemist Warehouse pharmacies throughout Australia within three months. Export to China’s cross-border eCommerce channel will follow shortly afterwards.
Bubs recently bought Australia Deloraine Dairy, an infant formula plant that is approved by CNCA (China’s certifying authority). Pending approval the new range of formula may be physically distributed to China’s Mother and Baby stores.
Kristy Carr, Bubs Australia founder and chief executive says in a statement: “Premium product offerings are the fastest growing segment of the infant formula category, and we are now able to offer two nutritional options – organic and goat, to suit individual dietary needs. This will tap into the global consumer trend towards natural, sustainable and organic food production.
“Bubs is a key player in the goat dairy infant formula sector in Australia and has made inroads into China. It can now offer an Australian made certified organic grass-fed infant formula with both prebiotics and probiotics, in addition to Omega-3 DHA and Omega-6 ARA.”
Bubs told the Australian stock exchange that it has agreements with Beingmate, Alibaba’s Tmall and Chemist Warehouse.
The joint venture with Beingmate is to distribute and promote Bubs goat and organic cow milk infant formula “throughout Beingmate’s network covering 30,000 Mother and Baby stories in China”.
Bubs Australia holds a 49% interest in the joint venture which will run for an initial term of 10 years.
Bradley Wadsworth lives on the family farm – Omega Station – in the Wairarapa about 30 minutes’ drive east from Masterton.
With global milk prices falling, the question is when will key exporting countries reach a tipping point where production starts to dip.
Rural contractors want the Government to include a national standard for air plans as part of its Resource Management Act reforms.
The biggest reform of local government in more than 35 years is underway.
An industry-wide project led by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is underway to deal with the rising number of feral pests, in particular, browsing pests such as deer and pigs.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
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