DairyNZ chair defends butter prices amid global demand
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
A renunion of two innovative dairy brands is aimed at pleasing butter lovers.
Lewis Road Creamery has again teamed up with Whittaker’s to deliver Chocolate Butter, the first of its kind on supermarket shelves. The spread combines Lewis Road’s award-winning butter with Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana chocolate.
Lewis Road founder Peter Cullinane says the idea for a chocolate butter emerged during an afternoon tea of French pastries at the Lewis Road kitchen table.
“The French, who know a thing or two about butter, chocolate and pastries, have always had a soft spot for pain au chocolat and it got us thinking-- combine butter and chocolate in an easy-to-spread blend good with almost anything.
“We were off to the patisserie for more croissants then got out the blender to mix up a batch of chocolate and butter. We knew we were onto something special.”
Other so-called chocolate spreads contain a lot of palm oil, sugar but no real chocolate, Cullinane says.
“Our Chocolate Butter... is a real chocolate spread made from simple, quality ingredients.”
Holly Whittaker says the chocolate butter is an example of true innovation.
“Our customers love it when they see their favourite chocolate used in new ways.... We can’t wait to hear what New Zealanders think.”
In store chillers the product comes in gold pottles located next to Lewis Road’s other premium butters. It was launched October 20. RRP $8.99.
Metallica's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), teamed up with Meet the Need this week for a food packing event held at the New Zealand Food Network warehouse in Auckland.
After two years, Alliance Group has returned to profit.
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.