Milking the most from spirit of openness

This year marks both the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and Milk New Zealand's decade-long presence in the Chinese market to celebrate those milestones, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins made his inaugural visit to China on June 30 to witness and endorse the launch of the "Milk New Zealand 4.0 Product Group Upgrade and Milk New Zealand 4.0 Jersey Fresh Milk Pre-sale".

The BRI has facilitated closer ties between Milk New Zealand and China, and the China International Import Expo has played a pivotal role in driving the company's rapid development. Fresh milk produced on New Zealand farms is now able to promptly be delivered to Chinese consumers within 72 hours — an inconceivable prospect prior to the first CIIE six years ago.

"In the past, imported fresh milk experienced delays of up to eight days during transit due to logistical and customs inspection issues," said Sheng Wenhao, CEO of Milk New Zealand Dairy Limited Asia Pacific Region. "The milk's 15-day shelf life was often reduced to less than half by the time it reached the shelves in China." This bottleneck for fresh milk importation has been effectively addressed through the introduction of the CIIE and implementation of a set of innovative trade policies.

Initially approaching the first CIIE with a curious and experimental mindset, Milk New Zealand has since evolved into a consistent participant, establishing a long-standing presence at the CUE over the course of six years. The company has experienced rapid growth and expansion, as evidenced by sales of its fresh milk in China increasing from a weekly average of 3,000 to 30,000 bottles after its participation in the first CIIE.

Today, empowered by the BRI and the CIIE, Milk New Zealand has grown from a small and medium-sized enterprise just venturing into the Chinese market to a reputable and highly respected brand. Sheng emphasized that the decade-long partnership between Milk New Zealand and the BRI, as well as the CIIE, has allowed the company to make significant strides, and it now accounts for one-third of the milk exported from New Zealand to China.