New Zealand goat formula co-op secures funding to enter China and US markets
The Dairy Goat Co-operative of New Zealand has partnered with Chicago-based AGR partners to raise capital for expansion into China and the United States.
New Zealand’s Dairy Goat Co-operative, representing 55 farmer owners in Waikato and Taranaki and employing 240 people at its Hamilton facility, announced a partnership with Chicago-based AGR partners to fund its push into China and the United States. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the chief executive Alastair Hulbert emphasized that the capital will be used to build market presence while preserving the co-operative model and farmer earnings.
Entering these markets requires costly clinical testing, a hurdle the co-operative aims to overcome with the new funding. Hulbert highlighted that some parents choose goat milk infant formula for its digestibility and potential eczema-prevention benefits, citing robust research tracking 2,300 infants through age five, conducted by LMU in Munich. The co-operative has a history of overseas trade, dating back to Taiwan in 1989 and later expansions into Thailand and South Korea.
Why it matters
The deal could broaden consumer choices for infant nutrition and boost export revenue for New Zealand farmers.
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