20 May 2008 – Local media report that Mataura Valley Milk, a joint venture between investors in New Zealand and abroad, has plans for an NZD90 million (USD70 million) milk processing plant at McNab, near Gore, South Island.
This will be the region’s third major milk processing plant and will compete with Fonterra’s Edendale milk powder plant, to be commissioned by the end of 2009, and the Dairy Trust’s factory at Awarua, which is due to open in August this year.
The Gore facility, which is to be fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, is expected to process up to 200 million litres of milk a year by the 2010/2011 season. Building work should start in October and be complete by August 2009.
The plant will focus on high-end functional milk powders such as calcium-enriched powders, for which there is expected to be growing demand, especially in Asia and the Middle East. Mataura Valley Milk intends to supply its products to international brand owners, some of whom have already expressed an interest in the company’s plans, according to the reports.
Christchurch-based Mataura Valley aims to sign up 70 to 80 dairy farms and has already held discussions with potential suppliers, add the reports.