Why the AMENA region is important to Fonterra

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Some Kiwis may not know much about the Fonterra AMENA region, but Kelvin Wickham says the area is rich in diversity.

"We have about 4000 people for Fonterra working across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, to Japan, Korea and the Americas," Wickham, who is Fonterra's CEO for the AMENA region, told The Country Sport Breakfast's Lee Piper.

Not only that, but the AMENA region was key for ingredients sales, with some small pockets for consumer and foodservice as well, Wickham said.

The AMENA region was important for Fonterra, as it accounted for 37 per cent of New Zealand's dairy exports - which was the equivalent of all the milk produced in Canterbury, Southland and the Central Plateau, Wickham said.

Fonterra had a leading position in some "markets you probably don't even think about," Wickham said.

"In Chile, we're the leading market brand with our Soprole business ... we're the 'gold-standard' butter in Azerbaijan and the lead cheese in Iraq, and we have family milk powders in Somalia."

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Meanwhile, Fonterra released its Sustainability Report last week, which was key for the AMENA region, Wickham said.

"That's very important to help us sell the Fonterra New Zealand milk story to our customers."

The survey showed 81 per cent of consumers felt strongly that companies should help improve the environment.

"That is in front of mind for a lot of our customers wanting to make sure their brands are picked by those consumers off the shelves - particularly in Europe and the US," Wickham said.

Also in today's interview: Wickham talked about how the lockdown was going in Amsterdam, where he is based, and discussed farm-specific greenhouse gas emissions profiles for Fonterra farmers.