Fonterra's Q1 business update shows the co-operative's new strategy in action says Mike Cronin.
It was the first time business performance had been updated since the release of the co-op's new strategy's "triple bottom line" - healthy people, healthy environment and healthy business -Fonterra's Managing Director for Co-operative Affairs told The Country Early Edition's Rowena Duncum.
"We're making really good progress across all three areas".
The results also showed the financial year had "got off to a pretty strong start" for Fonterra said Cronin.
Fonterra had lifted its farmgate milk price to $7.30 a kg, which would be the fourth-highest price in its history.
The forecast range has shifted up to $7.00 to $7.60 per kg, up from a previous forecast range of $6.55 to $7.55 per kg, and lifting the mid-point by 25c to $7.30/kg.
Although the milk price increase was good news, it also created a challenge for the rest of the year said Cronin.
"Of course as the milk price increases, it does put a bit of pressure on our gross margins and therefore our earnings, so we have to keep an eye on that".
Also in today's interview: Cronin explained how a good forecast Farmgate Milk Price would benefit Fonterra farmers and talked about successful initiatives the co-op was involved with.
