Synlait signs up Waikato farmers to supply Pokeno plant

Synlait Milk signs its first Waikato farmers. Photo/NZ Herald.

NZX-listed Synlait Milk said it had signed up its first Waikato dairy farmers to will supply its new plant at Pokeno for the 2019/20 season.

Chief executive Leon Clement said Synlait's milk procurement team had received a positive response from Waikato dairy farmers and rural professionals.

National milk supply manager, David Williams, said Synlait had received "significant enquiry" but the company was still keen to hear from Waikato farmers within150km of Pokeno.

"We're also looking for a2 milk and winter milk, but farms don't need to be a2, or have winter milk to supply us," he said.

Milk supplied by Waikato dairy farmers will be processed at Synlait's Pokeno site.
The build is on track, with the first nutritional spray dryer expected to be ready for the 2019/2020 season.

Once commissioned, the dryer will be capable of producing up to 45,000 tonnes of nutritional powders each year. These include infant-grade skim milk, whole milk and infant formula base powders. -- Staff Reporter