Fonterra boss Andrew Ferrier has gone on the charm offensive on the home turf of takeover target National Foods.
Speaking at the World Dairy Summit in Melbourne yesterday, Ferrier avoided all allusion to Fonterra's hostile $1.5 billion bid for the Melbourne-based company, Australia's largest listed dairy firm.
Ferrier said Australiawas like a second home to Fonterra. The giant Kiwi dairy co-operative was one of the largest dairy companies in Australia, processing nearly 16 per cent of local milk and generating A$1.4 billion ($1.55 billion) in Australian turnover.
He made a plea for all players in the industry to work together to promote dairy as a healthy "nutritional cocktail" and grow total consumption.
More than 700 dairy industry delegates from all over the world are in Melbourne this week for the 2004 summit.
