Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Vietnamese buy Maori-made milk powder

Updated at 2:04 pm on 14 August 2012

The first Maori-owned dairy processor says it is finding plenty of Asian demand for its milk powder.

The $90 million Miraka milk powder plant near Taupo, which opened a year ago, is mainly owned by Maori farming trusts, with a one-fifth stake held by Vietnam's biggest dairy company, Vinamilk.

The plant surpassed production targets for its first year by 10% to process 170 million litres of milk, and says it expects to grow quickly to double its revenue in five years.

Chief executive Richard Wyeth says most of the milk powder is being sold to Vietnam through Vinamilk, and to China.

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