Fonterra has plenty to celebrate in 2019

Photo / File

Content brought to you by Fonterra.

It has been another busy year for Fonterra with some "big bright spots" to celebrate says Kelvin Wickham.

Fonterra's CEO for AMENA spoke to The Country Early Edition's Rowena Duncum, to take a look back at some highlights for 2019.

One stand-out for Wickham was the co-op's announcement of its new strategy which provided Fonterra with "clear direction going forward".

"We really are focusing on prioritising our New Zealand farmers' milk and pursuing value rather than volume and I think that's something our farmers have all got behind".

It was also great to "see the momentum" from where Fonterra started Q1 which was a "real shift" from the last quarter said Wickham.

Fonterra's CEO for AMENA, Kelvin Wickham. Photo / Dean Purcell

Fonterra's "Co-operative Difference" approach to on-farm sustainability was another highlight.

"We've had over 1700 farms achieve milk quality excellence for several months now" said Wickham, who reported farmers were also working hard on developing Farm Environment Plans.

The most recent win had to be the fourth-highest Forecast Farmgate Milk Price in the Co-op's history said Wickham, which was "really reflecting the good prices" seen globally.

However, perhaps the most important highlight for Wickham was that Fonterra remained a homegrown co-op.

Listen below:

"The fact that we are really a New Zealand co-operative. The centre, core and heart of it as we go out there and compete and win in the world".

Also in today's interview: Wickham discussed the co-op's move to streamline its operations in Chile and what Fonterra is focused on for 2020.