Demand for West Coast butter

Discerning customers drive demand for West Coast butter.

New Zealand sales of Westgold butter have just soared past the three million mark, on the back of a consumer shift towards more natural fats.

Produced in Hokitika by Westland Milk Products, Westgold is marketed as the ‘everyday gourmet butter’. It appeared in nearly a quarter of Kiwi fridges last year, and Westgold’s salted butter was the third most purchased butter in North Island New World supermarkets, according to recent Nielsen data.

The three million sales milestone has been achieved in just three years, following the product’s domestic launch in 2015. Westgold has only two ingredients – cream and salt.

Recent reports indicate that demand for butter, cream and other dairy-rich products continues to increase globally, in line with consumers’ renewed taste for natural fats.

International retail butter sales are expected to expand by 2.9 percent to (US) $19.4 billion in 2018, outpacing the 1.9 percent growth in sales volumes, according to Euromonitor International.

Westland General Manager Marketing and Innovation Hamish Yates says discerning consumers appreciate the fact that not all butter is created equal.

“Globally, we are seeing an increasing consumer demand for natural, wholesome foods, and a return to the simplicity that products such as butter offer,” says Hamish.

“Westland is proudly owned by our shareholders, the vast majority of whom farm on the West Coast.

“The West Coast has New Zealand’s highest proportion of jersey and jersey-cross cows, which are renowned for producing milk high in butterfat. We think this, combined with our traditional churning technique, helps make Westgold butter so special.

“We also find that there is a real appeal for the West Coast from North Island customers, who associate the region’s rugged beauty with a more natural product,” adds Hamish.

One of Westland’s farmer shareholders is John Marshall. Along with his partner Anna, John milks 180 cows on their 152-hectare farm in Moana, situated 30 minutes inland from Greymouth. Their milk is used to produce Westgold butter.

“There is a sense of pride and ownership in seeing the end product on the shelves, and knowing that you helped play a large part in its success,” says John.

“Westgold’s three million milestone was achieved extremely quickly, which just goes to show the consumer demand is there. It’s an amazing achievement in a highly competitive, commoditised market.”

Environmental sustainability is core to the Marshall’s farming system.

“Quality, lush pasture is key to producing premium dairy products,” says John. “We prefer to run a biological system which, while not organic, is largely free from sprays and chemical fertilisers. This is part of our commitment to limit our impact on the environment.”

Westgold is produced in Hokitika using the Fritz Churn process, which is derived from traditional batch-churning methods.

Westland’s butter makers have spent an average of 20,000 hours, or 10 years, producing butter – with one staff member making butter for more than 50 years.

Butter Production Manager Dean Robinson, who has just marked 30 years’ service, says the company has more accumulated knowledge than any other butter producers in the country.

“We have a strong tradition of making butter on the West Coast that dates back to 1893,” says Dean.

“The process has been refined over generations to become both an art and a science. We combine modern facilities with traditional craftsmanship to produce a premium product.

“After making butter for so many years everyone has developed an eye for it and instinctively knows when it is right, without relying on automation.”

Westgold was first launched in 2004 as an export consumer brand. More than eight million blocks are sold into international markets each year, including Australia, China, Singapore, South Korea and Azerbaijan. This figure is set to increase with the development of new markets and product sizes to meet growing consumer demand.

ENDS

Frequently asked questions

What is in Westgold Butter?

Westgold Salted Butter is made from fresh cream and salt – that’s all. Westgold Unsalted Butter is made from fresh cream only. Westgold is a natural, 100 percent New Zealand product; even the salt in Westgold Salted Butter is sourced in New Zealand.

What makes Westgold Butter different?

Starting with milk from predominately jersey and jersey-cross cows, which are renowned for the higher butterfat, Westgold is traditionally churned in Hokitika from fresh cream, using the Fritz churn method.

How is Westgold Butter made?

Westgold butter is manufactured by Westland Milk Products. Milk is supplied from Westland Milk Products’ shareholder farms on the West Coast and Canterbury. Milk is collected from Westland’s farms, and taken to the factory in Hokitika for processing. The milk is then pasteurised and separated into cream and skim milk.

The cream is churned (a little salt is added at this point to make Westgold Salted Butter), and once it has reached the correct consistency, it is wrapped in foil, packed and stored in chillers, waiting until it can be shipped to the supermarket.

Westgold is made using the time-honoured Fritz churn method. It is a simple process that does not include any preservatives, colours or added oils.

Where can I buy Westgold Butter in New Zealand?

Westgold is available nationwide at Countdown, New World and Fresh Choice supermarkets, and selected Pak N Save stores.

Westgold’s butter tips:

• If your butter is too cold, try grating it – a great trick if you need to butter your toast in a hurry.

• Need to soften butter? While many of us would instinctively throw it in the microwave, the power of the microwave can quickly melt your butter completely into liquid. Instead, heat a glass of water in the microwave, tip the water out and use the glass to soften the butter. Place the desired amount of butter on a small plate and place the glass over the butter.

• Over-softened your butter? You can bring it back to a solid by placing the butter into a bowl, then placing that bowl into a bigger bowl filled with ice and cold water.

• Always add butter before your milk when making mashed potatoes, otherwise the butter can curdle with the milk.

• When sautéing, wait for butter to stop foaming. Sautéing is best done in hot fat so when the foam stops, this is a visual cue that the butter is hot enough.

Westgold recipes:

There is a large selection of recipes using Westgold Butter on the Westgold website. Below are Westgold’s top three recipes:

• Muesli bars

• Lemon muffins

• Anzac biscuits

Media inquiries to:

Steve Attwood
Communications Manager
E: [email protected]
P: 03 943 0580
C: 027 419 1080