Natural Dairy, the Hong Kong company looking to establish itself in the New Zealand dairy industry, has announced it intends to establish 3000 retail stores throughout China, which will sell New Zealand milk powder products.

Natural Dairy chairman, Wu Neng Kun, says that the company will be establishing the specialty stores to meet the rapidly growing Chinese demand for quality, high-end dairy products.

Wu said the powder’s New Zealand origin would allow Natural Dairy to be market their product to Chinese consumers as being ‘the best milk in the world’.   

Natural Dairy is currently building a milk processing plant in Tauranga.

Last year the New Zealand government rejected a proposal by Natural Dairy to buy a portfolio of dairy farms in the North Island – citing the questionable character of its owners, meaning Fonterra will now supply the company with milk. 

The people behind the company, which has strong links to the Beijing government, have also launched a political party in New Zealand, the New Citizen Party, which last month contested the Botany by-election winning 10 percent of the vote.

A New Zealand Dairy spokesperson said

“They have always intended to set up their own specialty stores throughout China – Natural Dairy Milk Products - and they’ll sell everything from UHT cartons through to ice cream and other milk type products.

"It’s like a KFC or McDonalds, it’s a concept store.”