Open Country Dairy Acquires Milk-processing Peer Miraka 

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Open Country Dairy successful New Zealand has agreed to get nan Māori-owned dairy business Miraka for an undisclosed sum. 

Both companies are engaged successful beverage processing to nutrient beverage powders and dairy ingredients. Open Country Dairy besides makes cheeses nether its ain brand, while Miraka offers its namesake statement of UHT milk, arsenic good arsenic acting arsenic a co-manufacturer.

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Mark de Lautour, CEO of Open Country Dairy, said nan acquisition aligns pinch nan company’s extremity to heighten its beingness crossed nan Central North Island. 

Open Country Dairy presently operates 4 accumulation accommodation successful New Zealand, located successful Horotiu, Waharoa, Whanganui, and Awarua.  

The acquisition comes shortly aft Open Country Dairy agreed to acquisition Mataura Valley Milk from nan A2 Milk Co. and China Animal Husbandry Group. That woody will adhd a 5th tract to its manufacturing web located successful Gore, New Zealand.   

Miraka, meanwhile, owns a processing works successful Mokai, 30km north-west of Taupō. 

De Lautour said successful a statement: “We really judge that our 100% NZ-owned institution culture, beardown customer relationships and standard makes this a good, strategical fit.

“If you look astatine wherever our plants are based, we already person a very beardown beingness successful bluish Waikato and Taranaki/Manawatu. Adding Miraka, which is geographically located successful nan mediate of these 2 areas, gives america a coagulated footprint into nan confederate Waikato.”

Miraka will clasp its marque sanction and proceed operating nether its ain identity. Individual beverage proviso agreements will besides stay unaffected. 

Bruce Scott, committee chair of Miraka, said successful a abstracted connection that Miraka has “grown to go New Zealand’s second-largest Māori-owned [dairy] exporter” complete nan past 15 years. 

He added: “However, location are important challenges that travel pinch being a standalone location processor operating successful a world market. Under Open Country Dairy’s ownership, our Miraka whānau will beryllium portion of a beardown NZ-owned web serving nan world dairy market.”  

Miraka commenced operations successful 2010 and exported its first batch of beverage powder successful August 2011.  

The company, which besides produces stiff beverage ore and cream, has since expanded its accumulation capabilities, processing astir 300 cardinal litres of beverage annually.