Listen: Why Fonterra ice creams are hot in China

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Ice creams made with New Zealand dairy are in "hot demand," in China says Grant Watson.

Fonterra's Director of Global Foodservice spoke to The Country Early Edition's Rowena Duncum about a "busy few months," for the co-op in the China market.

MacDonald's soft serve ice creams are so popular in China that Fonterra has increased its supply from 300 to 500 restaurants said Watson.

"Every year 37.5m soft serve ice creams are served to consumers using Fonterra dairy products - that's one soft serve ice-cream every second."

Fonterra dairy products are sought after in China due to the co-op's natural grass fed model said Watson.

Consumers also like to trace Fonterra products back to where they came from originally.

"It's our market difference and people are prepared to pay for it."

In China, 11 per cent of all dairy comes from Fonterra farmers and 3.8b worth of dairy was exported into China in the last financial year said Watson.

"That's something for us and our farmers to be really proud of."

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