Fonterra Oceania spreads Christmas joy
Fonterra Oceania gives back to our communities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand throughout the year, but the holiday season is an extra special time.
It's the time of year where we share the giving spirit and lighten the load for our local families and communities, who are at the heart of what we do every day.
Across our network of sites on both sides of the Tasman, our people are getting stuck into giving back.
Left: Employees at Makomako Road, NZ get into the spirit by creating their own milk bottle tree. Right: In Cobden Australia, the site prepares for its annual Christmas Dairy Shop.
Amavi Mey, Community Engagement Manager at Fonterra Oceania said that Christmas brings out the best in our people, with each of our sites striving to give back to their local communities.
"During the holiday season, we strive to make a meaningful impact by sharing the spirit of giving, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this time of year, however they choose to celebrate it," she said.
In New Zealand, our manufacturing sites in Takaanini, Auckland, and Makomako Road, Palmerston North have set up collection boxes to collect food and gifts for their local breakfast clubs, charities and food banks, including the Palmerston North Methodist social services.
"During the holiday season, we strive to make a meaningful impact by sharing the spirit of giving, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this time of year, however they choose to celebrate it."
In Eltham, Taranaki, (where we make the most awarded cheese in New Zealand), the site will be donating product to Trinity Home and Hospital (in Hāwera), and Eltham Care Rest home. People at aged care facilities across the region will be able to enjoy some of our exquisite award-winning speciality cheese this festive season.
Across the Tasman to Australia, our Cobden site in western Victoria and head office in Richmond, Melbourne are running their annual Dairy Shop.
At the Cobden site, employees donate $20 for a box of dairy goodies. The teams are hoping to sell around 250 boxes at each site, that’s a significant $5,000 donation which goes to a different local charity each year.
This year, the recipients will be Cobden Health in western Victoria, who run an Aged Care facility in the local community, and Richmond's donations will be sent to the local Foodbank.
Our teams also take time out and away from their day job to volunteer at local charities, lending a helping hand.
Recently, Fonterra Oceania employees volunteered at Visionwest Community Trust for their Christmas From The Heart event.
Visionwest Community Trust runs this event annually to help families in need during the holiday season. They provide food, gifts, and a festive atmosphere with music, a free café, sausage sizzle, free haircuts, and activities for the kids to families in need. It's all about spreading joy and making sure no one goes without during Christmas.
On top of this wonderful work, the Fonterra business will donate more than 150,000 serves of dairy nutrition to local communities through our ongoing partnerships with local food banks and distribution hubs.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season!
Fonterra Oceania employees volunteering at Visionwest Community Trust for their Christmas From The Heart event.