Lactalis‑Mainland Dairy in New Zealand has officially opened its new Distribution Centre in Christchurch, marking a significant investment in its South Island supply chain capability.
Following Lactalis’ recent expansion in New Zealand and a carefully managed transition, operations have successfully moved from the former site to the new facility, with customer deliveries continuing without disruption from day one.
The consolidation has brought together fresh milk, chilled, frozen, and ambient operations in one modern site, supporting a more coordinated and resilient supply chain as integration progresses.
Designed to handle a complex mix of dairy products, the centre provides multi‑temperature storage and handling for fresh, chilled, frozen and ambient ranges, alongside capacity for UHT and powder movements.
The site includes dedicated heavy transport access into separated cool room areas, access docks for franchisees, and loading capacity for up to 12 containers, enabling efficient movement across domestic and export flows.
Developed to meet the operational, safety and regulatory standards required of a large‑scale, evolving distribution network, planning for the site began in 2022 with a focus on balancing performance, reliability and cost effectiveness.
The facility also includes indoor and outdoor staff amenities, office space and meeting areas, supporting both people and product as part of a modern logistics operation.
Facilities like the Lactalis New Zealand Christchurch DC play a critical role in delivering reliable customer service at scale. By reducing operational complexity and improving coordination across product categories, purpose‑built sites help enable more consistent delivery outcomes across the network.
Lactalis New Zealand CEO Pascal Francisque said the Christchurch Distribution Centre reflected Lactalis’ long-term commitment to strengthening its operations in New Zealand. Its immediate focus has been on ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining reliable service for customers.
“New Zealand is an important market for Lactalis, and we have great confidence in the future of our business here and across our export markets,” said Francisque.
“Bringing multiple product streams into one modern site allows us to simplify our operations and improve coordination across the supply chain. That translates into more consistent and reliable service for our customers.”
As part of Lactalis New Zealand’s broader logistics network, the Christchurch Distribution Centre has strengthened supply into the New Zealand and export markets and supports future distribution needs.
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