Media Updates, page-15386

It'd be a monumental task but can you imagine?

If a2 Milk secures a manufacturing foothold in China, it does far more than just blend and can formula — it ignites a powerful new phase of growth we have been waiting for.

Having premium a2 milk powder already in China doesn’t just streamline infant formula production — it opens the door to an entirely new product ecosystem tailored for local tastes and market trends. This could includes things like:

• Ready-to-drink dairy beverages like ice coffee (a fast-growing category in China and what we should already have in Australia, where ice coffee outsells Coke)
• Functional nutrition products co-branded with trusted Chinese platforms
• Value-added dairy applications like yoghurts, desserts, and supplements
• Premium collaborations with local players leveraging a2’s health halo

This wouldn't be just a plant — it’d be a platform.

By shipping premium dry milk into China and completing production locally, a2 unlocks a strategic trifecta:

• Regulatory leverage: Gain access to multiple new China label registrations, expanding its addressable market overnight.
• Margin control: Enhance pricing power in an increasingly competitive category through cost efficiencies and local relevance.
• Operational resilience: Build a faster, more agile supply chain less exposed to global shocks or export bottlenecks.

They shorten lead times and shift the centre of gravity closer to their highest-potential market.

a2 tells Chinese consumers: we’re not just exporting to you — we’re investing in you.

a2 tells regulators: we’re serious partners, not just importers.

a2 tells investors: we’ve gone from niche disruptor to market-embedded leader.

$350 million isn’t just for a factory — it’s for strategic scale, regulatory access, product expansion, and long-term dominance in the world’s most important infant formula market.

If they can pull it off, a2 unlocks the level of growth and relevance I dream about daily.

More I think about how good it could be, the more I'm sure its going to be a tin shed in NZ. Always getting my hopes up.