Maui Milk and Mengniu Partnership: A Strategic Move for Sheep Milk Expansion

An agreement between Maui Milk and Mengniu, signed at Yashili’s Pokeno plant, marks a significant collaboration. This partnership offers Maui access to a significant distribution network and strengthens Mengniu’s global strategy by accessing New Zealand's premium sheep milk, a market increasing in popularity since Maui began exports to China in 2015.

Greg Hamill, CEO of Maui Milk, emphasizes that this collaboration with Mengniu helps Maui quickly enter new markets, enhancing their sales channels and commercial scalability. The increasing demand for high-quality sheep milk in China aligns with the improving Chinese economy, according to Hamill.

Mengniu, whose brand is owned by Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Limited, aims to strengthen its international image and secure its supply chain through this partnership. By doing so, it ensures a response to the rising consumer preference for healthy, nutritious, and personalized dairy options, spotlighting sheep milk as a functional choice.

For Maui Milk, the partnership boosts its recognition and credibility in global markets, especially in Asia, while supporting the rapid development of New Zealand’s sheep milk industry and enhancing export revenue.

Maui Milk was formed in 2014 by a joint venture between Super Organic Dairy and the Maori farming trust Waituhi Kuratau. In 2021, Super Organic Dairy consolidated ownership and created the Maui Food Group. This group is instrumental in improving dairy sheep genetics, particularly through the Southern Cross breed, unique to New Zealand, and continuously enhanced through annual artificial insemination.

With the 2024/25 season products sold out, Maui is optimistic about the 2025/26 season, driven by this strategic partnership and robust genetics enhancement efforts.