Fonterra relaunches brands in China

BY ANDREA FOX

Last updated 05:00 10/02/2010

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Fonterra is shedding its coyness about returning to dairy manufacturing in China after a disastrous debut, saying it is relaunching two premium brands there and ultimately wants to make them in China.

New Zealand's biggest company has also revealed that China is "a registered focus area" on its books, commanding its own profit-and-loss accounts, and separate from its major Asia-Middle East business division.

Managing director trade and operations, Gary Romano, said two of Fonterra's flagship export brands, Anlene and Anmum, were being relaunched in China. The wholemilk powder products would be made in New Zealand but making them in China was "ultimately what we want to do".

Fonterra had to write off a $200 million partnership investment in China's SanLu dairy processing company last year after it was involved in an infant milk formula melamine poisoning crisis, which caused the 2008 deaths of several infants and left thousands sick with kidney problems.

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