CIIE Moment: Beyond ‘Selling Milk’ — NZ Veteran with ‘Perfect Attendance’ Deepens China Roots

Summary

New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra is attending the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for a ninth consecutive year, earning 'perfect attendance' status. At this year's expo, Fonterra unveiled its new Anchor cultured butter under the booth theme 'A Century of Heritage, Progress Together'. The co-operative traces its roots to 1871, with cows predominantly pasture-raised on grass-fed farms, and exports to more than 100 countries and regions.

Fonterra is placing greater emphasis on 'making products together' with Chinese partners: on the ingredients side, its NZMP division showcased a whey protein powder developed with Fresenius Kabi, with protein content reaching 92 percent; in foodservice, Ganso has switched all its cakes to Anchor cream since May this year, marking 26 years of collaboration, while its partnership with Want Want spans 30 years, covering comprehensive co-operation in food quality and product innovation. At this CIIE, Anchor Food Professionals leveraged New Zealand's premium grass-fed dairy advantages to display a range of innovative products suited to different application scenarios. On 6 November, Chinese and foreign guests gathered at the Fonterra booth to discuss deepening the China market and moving together toward a new stage of high-quality development.

Commentary

Fonterra's ninth consecutive CIIE appearance signals a strategic shift from simply exporting ingredients to deep co-creation with Chinese partners. As New Zealand's largest co-operative, Fonterra's Greater China business accounts for about 25 percent of global revenue, with China its largest single market. The whey protein powder showcased at this expo, with 92 percent protein content, targets China's sports nutrition and healthy ageing markets, where annual growth exceeds 15 percent, and New Zealand grass-fed whey protein offers a differentiated advantage.

In foodservice, partnerships with local brands such as Ganso and Want Want spanning two to three decades reflect Fonterra's path of penetrating China's bakery and snack food markets through B2B channels. For NZ SMEs, Fonterra's success validates the 'ingredients plus application solutions' model, but it also squeezes space for smaller dairy firms in the premium ingredients market. About 95 percent of New Zealand's dairy production is exported, so any fluctuation in the China market directly affects the domestic economy.

Notably, Fonterra's emphasis on 'making products together' at CIIE means it is transitioning from a commodity supplier to a high-value-added solutions provider, requiring New Zealand SMEs to reassess their positioning in China: follow the giant as a supporting player, or seek differentiated opportunities in niches such as organic, A2 protein or functional dairy. China's dairy imports saw structural changes in 2025, with liquid milk imports declining while categories such as cheese and butter grew; Fonterra's launch of cultured butter at this expo aligns with this trend.

Keywords: Fonterra, CIIE, Anchor, dairy, grass-fed, NZMP, whey protein, Ganso, Want Want, China market

Photo by Petra Reid on Pexels

Source: QQ News