| 35 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Open Country Dairy Miraka milk tanker. • to page 36 Specialists in mechanical fabrication & installation works Proudly supporting Open Country Dairy 14 Basstian Street, INVERCARGILL Ph: 03 215 4796 Mob: 027 474 1525 Email: brendon@bmacs.co.nz Waikato and Taranaki/Manawatu,” says Mark. “Adding Miraka, which is geographically located in the middle of these two areas, gives us a solid footprint into the southern Waikato.” The acquisition aligns with Open Country’s strategy of maintaining its 100% New Zealand-owned status while building scale and strengthening customer relationships. Mark says that the company’s ownership structure, strong customer relationships and scale make this a strategic fit for both organisations. “We really believe that our 100% NZ-owned company culture, strong customer relationships and scale makes this a good, strategic fit. The shareholders of both Miraka and Open Country believe the deal provides clear benefits for the combined business.” Mark says the increased scale throughout the Central North Island will allow Open Country to realise important efficiencies across its operations. Over time, Miraka’s geographic position means the combined entity can optimise milk collection across the wider region, improving operational efficiency. Open Country will also soon add Mataura Valley Milk near Gore once its conditional acquisition agreement with current shareholders is finalised. Miraka will continue to operate under its current name and brand and all milk supply contracts with Miraka suppliers will remain in place following the acquisition. “Even though the Miraka team will operate under its own brand, we will work hard to ensure their suppliers and staff feel a part of the wider Open Country team,” says Mark. Miraka Board Chair Bruce Scott says there is a lot to be proud of for Miraka over the past 15 years having grown to become New Zealand’s second largest Maori-owned exporter: “However, there are significant challenges that come with being a standalone regional processor operating in a global market. Under Open Country Dairy’s ownership, our Miraka whanau will be part of a strong NZ-owned network serving the global dairy market.” FAST FACTS Open Country Dairy is 100% New Zealand-owned dairy ingredient manufacturer. It has built its reputation on processing high-quality dairy ingredients for both domestic and international markets, supplying to food manufacturers, nutritional companies and industrial customers worldwide. Open Country Dairy’s B2B approach allows the company to specialise in producing ingredients that meet specific technical requirements for various
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