Maui Milk achieves grass-fed certification in NZ

The company says this recognition reinforces its ongoing commitment to quality, sustainability, and animal welfare, and marks a significant achievement for the team, supply farmers, and customers.

State-owned AsureQuality works alongside New Zealand's primary producers and manufacturers, providing a broad range of independent services, including food safety, testing, auditing and certification. Maui Milk has elected AsureQuality as partner to provide independent auditing and certification services against the AsureQuality Grass-Fed Scheme.

"Through a rigorous and robust audit process, Maui Milk has demonstrated compliance with the AsureQuality Grass-Fed Standard, verification that our milk supply meets the requirements of the New Zealand Dairy Grass-Fed Administrative Standard, developed by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)," the company says.

The standard defines what it means to be grass-fed in New Zealand, outlining clear criteria for: 

• The minimum percentage of grass-based feed in the animals' diet and,
• The amount of time animals must have access to pasture.

AsureQuality's certification provides independent verification that Maui Milk's entire milk pool meets these requirements, offering assurance of integrity and authenticity to both customers and partners.

Maui Milk says that being certified grass-fed means that its trademarked Southern Cross dairy sheep are raised primarily on a diet of grass and forage, rather than grain-based feed.

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Under the New Zealand Dairy Grass-Fed Administrative Standard:

• Grass-fed feed types make up at least 90% of the diet of the sheep supplying to Maui Milk across all supplying farms
• The sheep graze outside for an average of more than 340 days per year, for at least 8 hours per day.
• Maui says its Southern Cross breed is ideally suited to this pasture-based, free-range system, thriving yearround in New Zealand's natural environment, an approach that supports their wellbeing and allows natural behaviours to flourish.

This natural, pasture-based farming system:

• Promotes the health and welfare of ewes.
• Enhances the nutritional quality and purity of milk.
• Reflects Maui philosophy of working in harmony with New Zealand's environment.

Maui Milk received its grass-fed certification at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai this month from Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. A delegation led by McClay and including Dr Jonathan Austin, NZ Ambassador to China, Ardi Barnard, Consul-General in Shanghai, and Jenny Cameron, incoming MPI Deputy Director-General China Relations visited the Maui Milk booth.

Why It Matters

Maui Milk says its products are naturally nourishing, ethically produced, and backed by independent verification.

For consumers, grass-fed certification provides trusted and transparent assurance about how their dairy is producted.

For our milk processors and supply farmers, this certification ensures:

• Integrity and transparency of grass-fed credentials
• A strong provenance story that supports premium positioning in local and global markets
• Recognition of the hard work and dedication of our farmers, who follow Maui Milk's strict pasture-based standards with pride and care.