Yili Group has accomplished the refurbishment and improve of its New Zealand Westland Dairy Hokitika Plant, together with a brand new Westgold manufacturing line. When operational, the funding will double Yili’s capability on the website to 42,000 tonnes of grass-fed butter yearly, making it not solely the biggest butter manufacturing facility on New Zealand’s west coast but additionally the biggest abroad dairy manufacturing unit to be constructed by any Chinese language dairy group.
The launch of the brand new manufacturing line coincides with the third anniversary of Yili’s acquisition of Westland Dairy. The corporate mentioned the transfer reveals Westland Dairy has ‘opened a brand new chapter of improvement’ with the ‘collaborative assist’ of Yili Group.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by New Zealand’s Minister of Commerce and Agriculture, Damien O’Connor.
Welcoming the funding, the Minister mentioned: “Yili’s funding within the development of a brand new manufacturing line will additional promote the event of the West Coast dairy business and assist New Zealand’s high-quality butter go international.”
Driving international progress
Addressing the ceremony by a distant video link-up, Yili Group Chairman and President Pan Gang mentioned he expects to proceed to drive worldwide progress of the New Zealand butter model Muen Butter.
“Since becoming a member of Yili Group, Westland Dairy has received increasingly recognition from shoppers. Sooner or later, Westland Dairy will create larger worth for shoppers, society and staff,” he commented.
Growing butter capability will imply Muen Butter is ‘now not solely reserved for grasp bakers’, however may even ‘go to the desk of extra abnormal shoppers’, Yili added.
“With the assist of Yili Group, the event of Westland Dairy has impressed each worker and companion, and we’re filled with confidence sooner or later improvement,” Yili Westland Dairy CEO Richard Smart mentioned.
“The Hokitika manufacturing unit has been renovated and upgraded with world-class manufacturing gear. On the similar time, we’ll proceed to proceed the standard manufacturing course of, in order that Muen butter will at all times symbolize the best high quality of New Zealand butter.”
