OUR JOURNEY
2000
The Synlait dream begins
- Dairy farmers and entrepreneurs Ben Dingle, Juliet Maclean and Dr John Penno purchased Robindale Dairy Farm in Canterbury.
2005
Synlait is formed
- Synlait Milk launched. The name Synlait was derived from the words ‘synergy’ and ‘lait’ (French for milk).
2007
The Synlait Dunsandel dreams begins
- Synlait Milk entered an agreement to deliver all milk collected to Westland Milk Products during construction of Dryer 1.
2008
First milk processed at Synlait Dunsandel
- In June Synlait Dunsandel received its first milk from third-party farmer suppliers.
- The first milk was processed on 8 August 2008 at the new Dunsandel manufacturing plant.
- Dryer 1 was commissioned in August and the Anhydrous Milk Fat facility was commissioned in September.
2009
Development continues at Synlait Dunsandel
- The special milks spray dryer was commissioned in August.
2010
Bright Dairy joins the Synlait family
- Bright Dairy invested capital in Synlait Milk and became a 51% shareholder in November.
- Synlait Milk commenced construction of Dryer 2, a sophisticated purpose-built infant formula facility.
2011
First milk processed in Synlait’s Dunsandel’s infant formula facility
- On 15 September the first milk was processed in Synlait Dunsandel’s infant formula facility.
- Dryer 2 is commissioned. Synlait Milk has the capability to manufacture infant formula and nutritional products to unique customer specifications.
2012
Supply agreement signed with the A2 Corporation Limited
- In March, an agreement was signed with A2 Corporation Limited (later known as The a2 Milk Company™ Limited) for Synlait Milk to process and supply The a2 Milk Company™ Limited’s a2 Platinum® infant formula.
2013
A big year for Synlait
- In April, Synlait Milk launched its internationally accredited ISO/IEC 17065 dairy farm assurance programme, Lead With Pride™, which recognises and financially rewards farmer suppliers who achieve dairy farming best practice.
- On 23 July Synlait Milk Limited listed on NZX, New Zealand’s Exchange.
2014
New facilities come on-line
- At Synlait Dunsandel, the Lactoferrin extraction and purification facility was commissioned in April and the blending and consumer packing facility in July. Also, in July, Dry Store 3 was completed.
2015
Synlait Dunsandel upgrades continue
- Dryer 3, an infant formula grade spray dryer, was commissioned in September at Synlait Dunsandel.
2016
Capital raising and ASX listing
- In October, Synlait Milk completed a $98 million capital raise.
- Synlait Milk Limited listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on 25 November.
2017
Focused on growth
- Synlait Auckland, a blending and consumer packaging facility, was commissioned in November. This was formerly the site of The New Zealand Dairy Company Limited, which Synlait Milk purchased earlier that year in May.
- The Wetmix kitchen at Synlait Dunsandel was officially opened in December, doubling Synlait’s infant formula powder capacity.
2018
Celebrating 10 years of operations
- In February, Synlait announced the conditional purchase of 28 hectares of land in Pokeno, North Waikato to establish its second nutritional powder manufacturing site.
- This was followed by the official opening of the Synlait Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North, a partnership with Massey University and Food HQ, in March.
- In August, Dr John Penno, founder and former Managing Director stepped down from the role of CEO, and Leon Clement was appointed.
- Synlait announced bold 10-year sustainability targets in September and launched a new corporate brand identity and purpose ‘Doing Milk Differently For A Healthier World’ in November.
- Construction of the Advanced Liquid Dairy Packaging Facility commenced at Synlait Dunsandel.
2019
Synlait continues to grow and grow
- New Zealand’s first large-scale electrode boiler was commissioned at Synlait Dunsandel in March. This was a significant social and environmental performance milestone for Synlait Milk.
- Synlait Milk started suppling fresh liquid milk and cream to Foodstuffs South Island in April from its newly commissioned Advanced Liquid Dairy Packaging Facility.
- The acquisition of selected assets of Talbot Forest Cheese was completed in August. This acquisition supported Synlait Milk’s broader growth and diversification strategy.
- Synlait Milk announced in September that revenue exceeded $1 billion for the first time in the company’s history.
- Synlait Pokeno processed its first milk in September.
- Lactoferrin facility expansion at Synlait Dunsandel commissioned in October, doubling the manufacturing capacity.
- Whakapuāwai programme and electrode boiler officially opened by the Prime Minister at Synlait Dunsandel in December.
- Synlait Milk listed $180 million subordinated bonds on NZX’s Debt Market in December.
2020
Twenty years on and the focus on growth continues
- Synlait Milk became the owner of Dairyworks Limited in April.
- Synlait Milk became a Certified B Corporation™ in June. In doing so, Synlait Milk joined a global community of for-profit organisations that use business as a force for good.
- Synlait Milk acquired farmland adjacent to Synlait Dunsandel in August. The land will enable Synlait Milk to pursue several strategic supply chain and sustainability initiatives that support Synlait Dunsandel’s long-term operation and expansion.
- A new manufacturing supply agreement is signed with a large multi-national customer to manufacture, blend and package nutritional products which include plant-based products.
2021
Two new sustainability-focused brands
- Synlait launches two sustainability-focused brands. Made With Better Milk, a premium and differentiated ingredient offering, and Synlait Swappa Bottle, a 1.5 litre reusable, stainless steel bottle of homogenised milk exclusively sourced from our highest performing farms.