Taupo mayor David Trewavas is currently leading an 18 person trade delegation to China profiling the Taupo district and exploring opportunities that exist with New Zealand's second largest trading partner.
Home-grown Taupo milk products are quickly gaining popularity in China, boosting the district's economy by providing employment and strengthening ties between the two countries.
While there he met with Mr Jiahao Li, Deputy General Manager of Theland Milk, a Shanghai Pengxin brand that markets Ultra High Treated milk produced at the company's Central North Island farms and processed locally at Miraka.
Mr Trewavas also took time to don a Theland Milk apron and sell some milk at the Centurymart supermarket in Shanghai. He said it was great to be able to meet and great shoppers and talk to them about what the Taupō District has to offer.
"Shanghai Pengxin has built a reputable brand in China and has really highlighted the importance of Taupo to their business."
Pengxin owns 29 farms in New Zealand, 16 of which are in the central North Island. The farms are made up of 12,300 hectares of pastoral land and 30,000 cows. They have also recently introduced an innovative Manuka honey mixed-milk powder product and set up a Central North Island Dairy Academy at their Broadlands Road site.
"The Chinese consumer sees New Zealand as 100 per cent pure and Theland Milk certainly aligns itself with that philosophy by having a strong focus on sustainability with one pastoral fed cow per acre," said Mr Trewavas.
"As a company they pride themselves on providing demonstrable benefits to the environment, the community and the economy, and our economic partnership is going from strength-to-strength," he said.
"The future certainly looks bright."
The growth of the Theland brand has directly benefited the Taupo economy with 35 people directly employed in UHT production at Miraka. The operation currently produces 60 million tonnes of UHT milk for the Chinese market and will reach production capacity next season with expansion plans in the pipeline.
