New butter line for Fonterra Edgecumbe

Fifteen local contractors have been employed to install a new butter line at Fonterra Edgecumbe.

The first butter sheet is expected to roll off the new line on 1 September after the building part of the project commenced in May. This line will nearly double the factory’s butter sheet production from 4500 to 7000 metric tonnes.

Global demand for butter is strong and butter prices, including in New Zealand, are continuing to rise. One of the reasons is consumer demand for Muddy Buns, Dirty Dirty Bread or Zang Zang Bao as they’re known in China.

Fonterra General Manager Marketing, Global Foodservice, Susan Cassidy said, “The Dirty Dirty Bread can best be described as a chocolate croissant. People love the flaky chocolate pastry that’s coated in rich chocolate ganache and sprinkled with cocoa powder.

“It makes it impossible to keep your face clean while eating. They are popular with celebrities who have taken to social media to share images of their ‘muddy bun face’ experience.”

Image: Fonterra Edgecumbe Cream Plant Manager Doug Gerry with Engineering Project Manager Will Rouse sharing their ‘muddy bun face’ experience.