Fonterra’s path to sustainable dairy innovation
Fonterra is one of the largest dairy manufacturers in the world. A farmer-owned co-operative based in Aotearoa, New Zealand, it exports dairy products to more than 130 countries, accounting for about 25% of New Zealand's total exports. With generations of know-how in dairy, Fonterra is known for facing the future with curiosity.
Name: Adam Stuart, Partnership Manager – Innovation Partnerships
Organisation: Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd.
Innovation challenge: Sourcing innovative solutions across the dairy value chain, including one targeted challenge (in-line detection of foreign matter in processing.)
Seeking: Research groups, startups and technology providers with TRL4+ solutions; partners interested in testing or scaling solutions in industrial or commercial dairy settings; collaborators seeking co-development or commercialisation opportunities.
Connections made: 30+ responses from startups, universities, and research organisations across the world; four active discussions progressing toward collaboration.
growᴬᴳ Engagement Manager: Rebecca Bradford
Fonterra is one of the largest dairy manufacturers in the world. A farmer-owned co-operative based in Aotearoa, New Zealand, it exports dairy products to more than 130 countries, accounting for about 25% of New Zealand's total exports. With generations of know-how in dairy, Fonterra is known for facing the future with curiosity.
Its Innovation Partnerships team brokers innovation across the Co-operative’s value chain. The team identifies and builds relationships with partners who deliver scalable innovations that enhance sustainability, unlock new food and ingredient capabilities, and improve operational efficiency and profitability.
“We’re the connection point,” said Partnership Manager, Adam Stuart. “From the farm to the manufacturing site, to the products that come out the other end everyone can bring us a challenge, and we find the relevant people we need to talk to about solving it.
Keen to strengthen innovation connections in Australia, the team’s first step was to publish a broad Expression of Interest (EOI) on growAG. The EOI outlined key innovation priorities including farm productivity, water efficiency, waste valorisation, animal wellbeing, and sustainability outcomes.
“The platform really helped us reach into that space,” said Adam. “We had a theory that we were missing Australia. We had lots of contacts in America, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand, but very few in Australia. The EOI opened the door to capability we weren’t seeing before, including some providers from New Zealand that we hadn’t even heard of!”
The EOI proved highly effective, receiving more than 400 views and ranking as the fifth most viewed opportunity in Australia, and the top-performing listing in New Zealand and the UK since publication.
“Adam and his team know what they need to achieve, but it can be hard to know where to look,” said growAG. Engagement Manager, Rebecca Bradford. “Our role was to actively manage the inbound funnel – making introductions to the research groups, startups, and technology providers who could deliver real solutions, and helping filter out approaches that weren’t relevant. We monitored who was engaging, shared insights on who to prioritise, and set up direct introductions so the team could focus on genuine opportunities.”
The team returned to growAG. to publish a specific challenge: In-line detection of plastic and rubber foreign matter in dairy processing. This listing clearly defined the problem, outlined the types of solutions the team was interested in exploring, and created a structured pathway for potential partners to engage, test, and co-develop solutions ready for industrial application.
“We knew it wasn’t something that existed in the market already,” said Adam. “So it wasn’t surprising that most responses came from universities keen to look at our specific needs for foreign matter detection.”
Like the EOI, the detection opportunity was also well received in market, ranking as the second most viewed opportunity in New Zealand and the top viewed in China during the same period.
Together, Fonterra’s listings attracted hundreds of views and over 30 enquiries, with interest spanning Australia, New Zealand, the UK, China, and Canada. The listings also led to active discussions with four potential partners.
“This strong conversion from visibility to engagement reflects not only the relevance of the challenges posed, but also the practical impact of growAG.'s global platform – helping Fonterra’s Innovation Partnerships team connect with the right partners, filter for serious opportunities, and build relationships that are progressing toward potential collaboration,” concluded Rebecca.
In brief
- Two opportunity listings – a broad exploratory call to market and a targeted innovation challenge (in-line plastics detection.)
- 30+ responses from startups, universities, and research organisations across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond.
- Four active discussions progressing toward collaboration.
- Expanded visibility of the Innovation Partnership team’s priorities across the Australian agrifood ecosystem.
- Stronger engagement at evokeAG. through pre-arranged introductions.
- Plans for broader internal adoption of growAG. for other business units.