Why Fonterra accepted defeat in the dairy aisle
OPINION: Fonterra's sale of its consumer dairy business to Lactalis is a clear sign of the co-operative’s failure to compete in the branded consumer market.
Troubled Chinese infant formula company Beingmate has sold a subsidiary, despite opposition from cornerstone shareholder Fonterra which owns an 18.8% interest.
Beingmate Baby & Child Food Company announced last week that the board has given a green light to sell its fully owned subsidiary Hangzhou Beingmate Dou Dou Children Nutrition Food Co.
An earlier attempt to sell the company was blocked by the board in January because Beingmate B&C was planning to sell it to founder Sam Xie’s associated company.
This time B&C says it will not be sold to related parties.
Fonterra opposed the sale because the Dou Dou company owns a manufacturing plant located on valuable land within a China national heritage zone. The value of this land is expected to soar when its heritage status is approved by the UN.
Fonterra believes Beingmate is selling the land for less than its true value.
The co-op will this week announce its half-year results, expected to contain an update on its $750m investment in Beingmate and another writedown of the value of its 18.8% shareholding.
Fonterra paid $750 million for its stake in Beingmate; the Chinese company’s shares have recently been changing hands at about RMB 5.56, versus the RMB 18 Fonterra paid for them.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
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