An infant milk formula exporter is calling on Fonterra to evolve and move on from its fortress mentality.
'Fortress Fonterra' was the term used by the board in its report released this week into the botulism contamination fiasco.
It sums up the company's attitude to dealing with its external stakeholders, or rather not dealing with them. The report recommended the fortress mentality ends.
Chris Claridge is the managing director of Carrickmore Nutrition, an infant formula company which exports to China.
His business has taken a hammering since Fonterra issued a global recall mistakenly believing its products could cause botulism, creating a massive food scare in China in the process.
Mr Claridge says that has cost him millions of dollars in lost business and he says there are many companies worse off than his.
He says no one from Fonterra has contacted him since the scare, nor any of his colleagues in the industry as far as he is aware.
Mr Claridge says his company has lost six to 12 months worth of work in China as a result of the scare and about 40% of its forward orders. However, he says other companies have received no orders since the scare.
Mr Claridge says he agrees wholeheartedly that the fortress mentality needs to go.
