Improving outcomes for patients

3 MINUTE READ

Fonterra has further cemented its position as a leading dairy nutrition producer by becoming a member of the Medical Nutrition International Industry (MNI).

It represents companies providing expert solutions to feed patients who are in hospital care or in otherwise vulnerable stages of their health and wellbeing.

Kelvin Wickham, Fonterra’s AMENA CEO says, “Fonterra is delighted to be joining MNI. We look forward to collaborating with other industry members to advance nutritional support and improve health outcomes for patients globally”.

MNI member companies provide solutions for nutritional therapy – Oral Nutritional Supplements, Enteral Tube Feeding (via the gastrointestinal tract) and Parenteral Nutrition (intravenous feeding) – as well as other actors operating in the medical nutrition market, such as ingredients and medical devices for nutritional care.

Manuela Schaflechner, MNI President, says, “As a key provider of dairy ingredients and formulation expertise for nutritional solutions, Fonterra will greatly contribute to MNI’s mission to provide quality nutritional interventions and services to best serve the interests of patients, healthcare professional and healthcare providers”. 

The move is also a clear step forward on Fonterra’s Road to 2030, which sets out our Co-op’s priorities – getting the best value out of New Zealand milk, being a leader in sustainability and being a leader in dairy innovation and science. 

As a key provider of dairy ingredients and formulation expertise for nutritional solutions, Fonterra will greatly contribute to MNI’s mission to provide quality nutritional interventions and services to best serve the interests of patients, healthcare professional and healthcare providers.

Manuela Schaflechner, President, Medical Nutrition International Industry

Fonterra is already at the forefront of innovations for dairy with an enviable research and development facility in Palmerston North that is continuously looking at ways to better leverage the nutritional value of milk. 

Evidence continues to show that proper medical nutrition can improve nutritional status, reduce adverse health outcomes and reduce the economic cost of nutrition-related conditions. Malnutrition, or disease-related malnutrition, is a common condition in elderly and patients and is characterised by compromised health outcomes as result of poor nutrition intake.

While 1 in 4 patients in hospitals suffer from malnutrition, good nutrition can shorten people’s hospital stays, improve their recovery and reduce the cost of care. By partnering with MNI, we can show dairy is more than just a daily dose of nutrition for breakfast – it’s also a medical super food that can help save lives.

Better care through better nutrition

Read more on medical nutrition and healthy ageing here.

For more information please read the joint press release from Medical Nutrition International Industry (MNI) and Fonterra.