Meadow Fresh

Meadow Fresh NZ Limited

Former type	Private Company
Industry	Food Manufacturing
Fate	Taken over by Goodman Fielder (Brand retained)
Founded	17 December 1954
Defunct	3 July 2006
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Products	Dairy
Website	www.meadowfresh.co.nz

Meadow Fresh NZ Ltd formed as the result of a brand swap in September 2005 between New Zealand Dairy Foods Ltd and New Zealand Milk (a now defunct Fonterra subsidiary).^[1]

The two companies that emerged from the swap were:

• Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (formerly known as New Zealand Milk), wholly owned by Fonterra.
• Mainland Products Limited (MPL), (which became Meadow Fresh NZ Ltd., from 31 October 2005) owned by Graeme Hart.

Meadow Fresh was subsequently sold to Goodman Fielder in connection with the IPO of that company.

On 3 July 2006, Meadow Fresh NZ Ltd, Top Hat Convenience Foods Ltd, and Goodman Fielder New Zealand Ltd amalgamated to become Goodman Fielder New Zealand Ltd.

Meadow Fresh NZ Ltd

Meadow Fresh manufactures and distributes dairy products under these brands

• Meadowfresh (fresh and UHT milk);
• Meadowfresh Yoghurt;
• Tararua Cultured;
• Kiwi, Huttons, Brooks and Milano meats;
• Bouton D'Or, Chesdale, Ornelle, Puhoi and Anchor Cheese

Meadow Fresh also have distribution arrangements for Fonterra Brands products through its Route Food Service.

Glass Milk Bottles

Meadow Fresh was the last company in New Zealand to produce milk in glass bottles. On November 30, 2005, production of glass bottled milk at their Christchurch production plant ceased, ending this era.^[2]

Distribution

• Meadow Fresh outsource a fleet of chilled linehaul trucks to distribute products to supermarkets, milkies and route trade vans.
• Meadow Fresh "Milkies" distribute fresh milk to some homes and businesses throughout New Zealand.
• Meadow Fresh route trade salespeople distribute the company's products via a network of chiller trucks.

Production

The company has factories as follows:

• Blenheim Road, Christchurch, (Milk and Beverages)
• Longburn, Palmerston North (Milk, Cultured Foods, Meats)
• Frankton, Hamilton (Meats)
• Puhoi Valley (Specialty Cheese)

and has procurement rights for cheese at

• Eltham, Taranaki (Block Cheddar)

References

1. ^ Andrea Fox (13 August 2005). "Behind the milk froth". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10340568. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 
2. ^ "Kiwis' farewell the glass milk bottle". Television New Zealand. 30 November 2005. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425823/634342. Retrieved 11 September 2011.