Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings has apologised to New Zealand but this is just the start and he will need to do more.
His apology was carefully worded and clearly vetted by lawyers. Fonterra is sorry for the stress and anxiety this situation has caused.
Spierings' press conference performance yesterday was polished and he has well-structured answers to many of the questions the public has on timing issues.
But he has failed to acknowledge, or has failed to grasp, the extent of the reputational damage Fonterra's blunders - across three food scares - have done to New Zealand's image in its largest export market.
Fonterra, predictably, has escaped any material financial damage to its bottom line. The latest global dairy auction was a success in terms of demand for New Zealand milk powder holding steady.