Meadow Fresh completes $100m-plus Christchurch expansion, creates 25 jobs

Author: NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2026, 3:44pm

A major expansion of the Meadow Fresh facility in Christchurch has been unveiled, which aims to grow the company’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

The expansion is part of more than $100 million invested at the site over the past three years.

At the centre of the investment is the Meadow Fresh High Value Dairy Centre, opened today with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in attendance.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Meadow Fresh High Value Dairy Centre in Christchurch. Photo / Anna Heath

The centre is expected to increase the company’s capability to manufacture high-value UHT dairy products for domestic and export markets, including high-protein milk products for China and Southeast Asia.

Goodman Fielder owns Meadow Fresh and has established a growing presence in China and Southeast Asia, including a long-term supply partnership with Yihai Kerry Arawana, a subsidiary of Wilmar International, for the regions’ retail and foodservice markets.

The Christchurch investment includes a state-of-the-art R&D pilot plant for new product development, ultra-filtration technology for high-protein dairy products and an automated pallet racking system to move finished products efficiently through the supply chain.

It’s also created 25 new jobs, taking the Meadow Fresh Christchurch team to 280 people.

Goodman Fielder New Zealand CEO Bernard Duignan said the expansion was an important step in the continued growth of the Meadow Fresh business.

“The investment in this plant is a response to growing domestic and export demand and reflects our confidence in New Zealand’s ability to produce world-leading, high-quality dairy products that are valued both here at home and around the world,” Duignan said.

“Through this expansion, we’re increasing our capability to manufacture innovative, high-value dairy products and creating opportunities to add more value in New Zealand, as well as take New Zealand-made products to more international customers and markets.”

Across Christchurch and Longburn in Palmerston North, more than 500 people work in Goodman Fielder’s Meadow Fresh dairy operations.

The two sites handle more than 250 million litres of milk annually.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is shown through the Christchurch factory by Goodman Fielder NZ CEO Bernard Duignan. Photo / Peter Meecham

Meadow Fresh has been producing dairy products in New Zealand for more than 60 years.

“Christchurch and Canterbury, with their growing dairy industry and strong infrastructure, continue to play an important role in Meadow Fresh’s manufacturing operations and future growth,” Duignan said.

The Christchurch investment also forms part of a broader investment programme by Wilmar International and Goodman Fielder in New Zealand.

Over the past five years, the companies have invested about $300m in local manufacturing capability, technology and people throughout New Zealand.

Goodman Fielder’s portfolio includes some of the country’s best-known food brands, including Meadow Fresh, Puhoi Valley, Vogel’s, Freya’s, Molenberg, Nature’s Fresh, Olivani, Edmonds and Chelsea Sugar.