Maui Milk is experiencing rapid growth which has led to a shareholding change, structural change and resource injection to equip the business for expansion.
Maui Milk Ltd is currently supplied by 13 farms, and since its formation six years ago, has been jointly owned by Shanghai-based Super Organic Dairy and Māori farming trust, Waituhi Kuratau (WKT).
Moving into a growth phase, beyond the scope of WKT’s ability to fund, Super Organic Dairy has purchased WKT’s shares and combined all elements of the business under one entity: Maui Food Group Limited.
Natalie Dang will lead Maui Food Group Limited as Managing Director and shareholder representative. Previously Maui Milk’s genetics business, the milk production and processing business and the marketing arm were held in separate legal entities.
"The new corporate grouping provides both the resources and the structure the business needs to build independent milk supply while diversifying products and export markets," says Maui Milk CEO Leah Davey.
“Independent suppliers will produce the milk using our genetics, while our team focuses greater resource on the opposite end of the value chain – opening up new markets and securing new customers.”
“Maui Milk only needs one farm of our own to provide the base for our genetics programme, which is all about breeding dairy ewes for New Zealand conditions. We’ve already experienced great results with our Southern Cross™ breed, and the first wave of third-party farm conversions has demonstrated what our ewes are capable of.
Maui Milk supply arrangements with dairy giant Danone remain unchanged. Davey explains a key part of the company’s strategy is to diversify its products range and markets. She says customers continue to desire the Maui Milk brand based on the propositions of its milk coming from grass fed animals, delivering premium nutrition and being sustainability managed. She says New Zealand provenance also continues to hold huge value.
The new Maui Food Group Limited board is further boosted by two new directors with experience in milk processing and international trade: Leon Fung and Patrick English.
Leon Fung has a distinguished career in the dairy industry, having worked with the NZ Dairy Board, Tetra Pak, Yashili and most recently Danone Oceania where he was Operations Director for New Zealand.
Patrick English has been appointed as the chair of Maui Food Group Limited and brings a wealth of experience in the China market where he resided for many years in roles including NZ Trade Commissioner and Consul General in Southern China. He was the NZTE representative for the NZ China FTA negotiations, and on returning to New Zealand was the first Executive Director of the NZ China Council, followed by other advisory and board roles between government and the private sector.
Read the full media article here.
