20 Apr 2015

Infant formula factory opening delayed

8:00 pm on 20 April 2015

A Chinese infant formula maker says the opening of its factory near Auckland has been delayed because of compliance issues in China.

Yashili's $212 million plant in Pokeno was due to start operating in February, but the managing director of the company's New Zealand business William Zhao said it would now open in October.

Mr Zhao said the delay was largely because it was taking longer than expected to get the company's product registered for sale in China.

China's state-owned dairy giant, Mengniu owns roughly 50 percent of Yashili, and the French food company Danone own 25 percent.

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