Smile, say mozzarella

By Philippa Stevenson

The Dairy Board has grabbed another slice of the global pizza trade.

It has concluded a deal to supply $40 million worth of mozzarella cheese a year to the Mexican arm of the giant Domino's Pizza chain.

The annual 7000 tonne contract with the world's top pizza home delivery company will boost business by the board's food service unit, NZ Milk Foodservice, to $400 million a year.

Director Tony Gunnis said the deal, which supplanted Canadian supplier Saputo and took 18 months to finalise, was a major coup.

The mozzarella, produced by Kiwi Dairies in Hawera, will go to 300 Domino's outlets throughout Mexico, the pizza company's international flagship market in size and growth.

Mozzarella has grown to be New Zealand's second largest cheese export by volume.

About 34,000 tonnes - or 24 per cent of all cheese - worth $130 million is produced annually, up from 1500 tonnes 10 years go.