Fonterra upgrades Eltham cheese production for global growth
Fonterra's Eltham site in Taranaki is stepping up its global impact with an upgrade to its processed cheese production lines, boosting capacity to meet growing international demand.
Feeding more than 1.5 million people a week takes more than quick service, it takes the ongoing work of New Zealand farmers and producers, according to McDonalds.
The fast-food trader’s annual New Zealand shopping list is out, offering a look at just how much local produce goes into the menu.
With 90% of ingredients sourced locally, McDonald’s spent $235 million on domestic produce in 2024, while a further $287 million of Kiwi ingredients was exported to McDonald’s restaurants around the world.
The company bought more than 6.5 million litres of milk, sourced from dairy farmers from all around NZ through Fonterra. Over 1,051 tonnes of cheese and other dairy products were produced by Fonterra for local restaurants.
“There are so many New Zealanders who come together to bring our menu to life,” says Kylie Freeland, managing director NZ and Pacific Islands.
“Our favourites are served in minutes, but each ingredient reflects months, even years, of local growing, farming, and careful preparation. It’s a story of dedication and collaboration long before the food reaches the tray.”
Kiwi produce is so good that Macca’s also exported over $287 million worth of local ingredients to McDonald’s markets worldwide. This included 265,600kg of cheese.
In advance of the Budget, Finance Minister Nicola Willis put a clear damper on expectations and delivered accordingly.
Farmers should be cautiously optimistic as the 2026/27 season kicks off, says DairyNZ.
RaboResearch senior analyst Emma Higgins expects the 2026/27 dairy season to be another profitable one.
The new dairy season is kicking off with plenty of risks to the forecast farmgate price, both upside and downside, says ANZ agricultural economist Matt Dilly.
A potential showdown between the top two Federated Farmers leaders looms at the farmer lobby's annual meeting later this month.
FarmIQ Systems has developed a free land management app to help remove barriers to New Zealand farmers and growers adopting digital tools.