Sheep milk cheddar named NZ’s top cheese
New Zealand’s top cheeses for 2025 have been announced and family-owned, Oamaru-based Whitestone Cheese is the big winner.
To mark the occasion, 'Pie Day Fridays' at Farm Source stores was turned into 'Cake Day Friday' with local store teams putting on spreads.
Farm Source group director Anne Douglas says it was a special way to recognise the milestone.
"It was fantastic to see so many of our farmer owners and other valued customers join us in store. Our store teams really embraced the spirit of the occasion and there were some very creative cakes: I was at our store in Waiuku and I know the farmers I met there were delighted to be part of the celebration."
Farm Source is Fonterra's farmer facing team and was rebranded from RD1 in 2014.
The co-op says it has taken relationships with farmer shareholders to a whole new level by providing on-farm support and advice, lowering on-farm costs and giving back to rural communities - building closer connections with farmers and delivering the strongest farmer offering.
"Farm Source exists to service the co-op's farmers, offering the tools and support they want and where they need them," says Douglas.
"It's their co-op and Farm Source is here to help them continue to sustainably produce some of the world's finest milk."
