Fonterra Boosts Operations with NZD 150 Million Investment in New Cool Store, Enhancing Cheese Storage Capacity

The new cool store at Whareroa will cover an area equivalent to three rugby fields (19,000 square meters) and will store around 26,000 tonnes of cheese, increasing the site’s cool store capacity by approximately 5,000 tonnes. Construction is set to begin next month and will occur in two phases, allowing the existing building to remain operational throughout the process. Completion is expected to take three years and will create new local employment opportunities.

Established in 1972, the Whareroa site currently employs over 11,000 staff and houses 11 plants producing a range of products, including mozzarella, dry salt cheese, butter, whole and skim milk powder, protein concentrates, and isolates.

Fonterra’s Chief Operating Officer, Anna Palairet, emphasized that the recent investments will have a “significant impact” on the co-op, stating that the new cool store will play a “crucial role in the resilience of the cooperative’s supply chain.” She noted, “When making investment decisions, we carefully consider where to allocate capital to maximize value for farmer shareholders and unit holders over the long term.”

Fonterra’s CEO, Miles Hurrell, highlighted that the co-op's strong balance sheet enables investments for future growth and supports the ongoing delivery of its strategic objectives. “These investments allow us to continue growing our ingredients and foodservice businesses as we prioritize these channels to create more value for the co-op,” he added.