Fonterra Brands Nutrition Policy

Dairy is an important food group and a component of a balanced, nutritious diet.

Milk itself is a provider of nearly all essential nutrients for people. It is the richest natural food source of bio-available calcium and also contributes many other essential nutrients including protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and zinc.


At Fonterra, dairy is our passion – it's who we are and what we do best. With more than 100 years of New Zealand expertise in developing nutritious dairy products, Fonterra Brands is dedicated to discovering new ways to deliver the unique health and wellness benefits of dairy.


As part of our commitment to providing "Dairy for Life", we offer dairy products that meet the different health and wellness needs of our consumers all around the world. This is based on a belief in quality products, sound science and 'doing what's right' by our consumers. 


Our Nutrition Policy summarises the philosophy that is behind producing great dairy products and the commitment we make to our consumers everyday through the way we work. These principles are based on external health authority guidelines and have been reviewed and endorsed by independent scientific experts to shape the way we consistently approach product development, formulation and marketing.


*Fonterra Brands Nutrition Guidelines are based on external health authority guidelines and current science for healthy eating.


They cover many aspects of formulations including added sugars, fat, salt and calories.

  • Optimal choice products are consumed everyday and have lower levels of energy, fat, salt and sugar and must incorporate the unique benefits of dairy (dairy protein and calcium). 2-3 serves can be consumed every day.
  • Moderate choice products are consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet and allow moderate levels of energy, fat, salt and sugar. 1-2 serves can be consumed every day.

  • Treat foods which are consumed occasionally may have higher energy, fat and sugar levels. No more than one serve per day recommended.

Palm oil: A sustainable approach
 
Palm oil is a vegetable oil widely used by food manufacturers globally across an extensive range of products. It is used in some products to enhance texture and to bond (emulsify) the ingredients or to provide supplementary fats.
 
Sustainability is a priority for us, and this includes being careful about where we source our ingredients. In Australia and New Zealand when it comes to palm oil, we substitute other products whenever an effective and affordable alternative is available. When we’re not able to do this, we aim to use palm oil sourced from sustainable producers through the Green Palm™ scheme.  Green Palm™ is endorsed by the Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Fonterra is an RSPO member.
 
Core parts of our business are already using palm oil sourced through the Green Palm™ scheme and we’re on track to hit our goal of only using this by 2015. Our products that do contain palm oil do so in very small amounts.
 
All Fonterra Brands New Zealand products fully comply with Australia, New Zealand and international food safety standards.

Nutrition and Health Policy

  • 1. Product composition+

    • Maintain dairy nutrient integrity (dairy protein and calcium) at optimal levels*
    • Use minimum quantities of sugar and salt in all products without affecting taste and safety
    • Evaluate fat levels in all products, appropriate for the nutritional status and age of the target consumer e.g. full fat milk for young children
    • Introduce portion control to prevent over-consumption of products
    • Aim for 50 per cent of the product portfolio meeting optimal choice criteria*
    • Control the use of ingredients that may adversely affect health
    • Create new dairy foods that are healthy and nutritious, and relevant to the modern consumer
    • Select ingredients for specific health benefits
    • Fortification – we fortify products with specific nutrients to address the specific needs of our consumers at different life stages e.g. pregnancy, childhood, elderly
    • Use Fonterra Brands Nutrition guidelines* to evaluate all new product development projects

  • 2. Marketing practices+

    • Ensure nutrition and health messages are an accurate assessment of scientific evidence
    • Market foods in the context of a healthy lifestyle that includes a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity
    • Promote eating habits that are consistent with Health Authority guidelines
    • Act responsibly when marketing products for children
    • Seek support from independent and reputable experts
    • Define the nutritional needs of consumers and identify product opportunities to address these needs
    • Be transparent about where our foods fit within Fonterra Brands guideline categories – e.g. optimal choice (green), moderate (amber) or occasional (red)*

  • 3. Consumer information/Labelling+

    • Provide clear and accurate nutrition information panels on product labels
    • Help consumers to make informed product choices by providing information on labels that is easy to read and easy to understand
    • Provide nutrition and health information to consumers in a targeted way, addressing different health and lifestyle needs
    • Ensure nutrition and health messages are an accurate assessment of the weight of scientific evidence

  • 4. Research and innovation+

    • Develop a portfolio of food products that are healthy and nutritious
    • Support research into nutritional science for product innovation
    • Identify and consider global health and nutrition trends to influence product formulations
    • Ensure all claims are scientifically substantiated

  • 5. Regulations+

    • Actively work with key stakeholders to help develop food regulations
    • Ensure compliance with existing national food regulations, food and nutrition policies and guidelines

  • 6. Employees/Lifestyle action+

    • Provide a workplace environment that encourages healthy choices
    • Establish and promote workplace schemes that encourage health and fitness among employees and their families
    • Ensure that all employees understand the nutritional benefits of dairy foods