A New Zealand sheep milk company has achieved a significant milestone in China by gaining brand registration for its infant milk formula. This makes Spring Sheep, based in Waikato, only the second international sheep milk brand in the world to secure this direct market access.
The brand registration allows Spring Sheep to directly import and distribute its infant formula in China, a move expected to boost export volumes in the long term after two challenging seasons. Chief Executive Nick Hammond described the deal as “highly significant and exciting.”
Spring Sheep operates with 15 suppliers, milking 15,500 ewes, and anticipates the birth of 25,000 lambs over the next month. Hammond was recently in Shanghai at the Children, Baby, and Maternity Expo (CBME), the country’s largest mother and baby show, where Spring Sheep launched its infant milk formula directly to potential end users.
The brand registration provides direct access to the $28 billion infant milk formula market in China. “Before this registration, we could only sell our infant formula range through a narrow set of online channels, and only in our English version,” said Hammond. Despite these limitations, the brand resonated well with consumers, becoming the second highest in its category in China, behind only the largest goat milk brand in the world.
With the new registration, Spring Sheep can now import and distribute its infant formula with Chinese labeling, accessing a vast majority of this massive market. “This direct link with the Government of China enables us to consistently deliver to the entire Chinese market, which is much more stable than the online channel,” Hammond noted, calling it a “real game changer” for everyone involved, especially for Spring Sheep.
Spring Sheep’s distribution partner in China is Neptunus Foods, part of one of the largest pharmaceutical groups in the country. Hammond emphasized that the brand’s recognition will revolve around promoting New Zealand’s grass-fed sheep milk story, linked back to the company’s specially bred Zealandia sheep.
For More Details: https://ciolook.com/
