Open Country opens butter plant
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Shareholder Philip van der Bijl rang a specially crafted bell to launch the share trading scheme at its new Darfield site at midday. About 100 farmers and Fonterra staff witnessed the launch.
Fonterra chairman John Wilson says it has taken time to launch TAF that will entrench 100% ownership and control.
"We have paced the introduction of changes that will give farmer shareholders more flexibility to maage their businesses and Fonterra shareholdings."
"We have taken our own time to reach this point in our history."
