Anchor (brand)

{{Short description|Brand of dairy products}} {{about|a dairy products brand|the Indian electrical equipment company|Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd.|other uses|Anchor (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = Anchor | logo = Anchor dairy products brand logo.svg | logo_size = 300px | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | founded = 3 November 1886 | area_served = [[Australia]], [[Barbados]], [[China]], [[Chile]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Fiji]], [[Indonesia]], [[Malaysia]], [[Mauritius]], [[Middle East]], [[New Zealand]], [[Pacific Islands]], [[Peru]], [[Philippines]], [[Singapore]], [[South Korea]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Taiwan]] and the [[United Kingdom]] | hq_location_city = [[Auckland]] | hq_location_country = [[New Zealand]] | industry = [[Dairy]] | parent = [[Lactalis]] }}

'''Anchor''' is a brand of [[Dairy product|dairy products]] that was founded in [[New Zealand]] in 1886, and is one of the key brands owned by the New Zealand–based international exporter [[Fonterra|Fonterra Co-operative Group]]. In [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Taiwan]], Fonterra uses the '''Fernleaf''' brand instead of Anchor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Brands – Anchor |url=http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/our+products/consumer+brands/our+brands/anchor/anchor1 |publisher=Fonterra |access-date=2008-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512061446/http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/our%2Bproducts/consumer%2Bbrands/our%2Bbrands/anchor/anchor1 |archive-date=12 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Anchor by Fonterra ==  Historically, the Anchor brand of milk products in New Zealand was owned by the New Zealand Dairy Group, which merged with Kiwi Co Operative in 2001 to form Fonterra.

As the merger would leave New Zealand with virtually no competition in the domestic dairy sector, government legislation was required for Fonterra to be formed. One of the requirements was that Fonterra must divest its strongest domestic brand, Anchor, in the New Zealand market. This did not affect the brand internationally. The brand was sold to what is currently [[Goodman Fielder]].

Between 2001 and 2005, Fonterra grew one of their smaller milk brands which was originally only available in the [[South Island]] of New Zealand, '[[Meadow Fresh|Meadow Fresh Milk]]', into a nationwide brand which provided good competition to the Anchor brand of milk products. In 2005, Fonterra did a brand swap with what is now Goodman Fielder, swapping Meadow Fresh for Anchor, allowing Fonterra to again align its international and domestic dairy brands.

On 11 November 2024, Fonterra confirmed that it would be selling several of its consumer brands including Anchor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beckford |first1=Gyles |title=Fonterra pushes ahead with sale of Anchor, Mainland brands |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/533434/fonterra-pushes-ahead-with-sale-of-anchor-mainland-brands |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=11 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111005720/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/533434/fonterra-pushes-ahead-with-sale-of-anchor-mainland-brands |archive-date=11 November 2024}}</ref> On 22 August 2025, Fonterra confirmed it would sell Anchor along with several consumer brands and its processing operations in [[Australia]] and [[Sri Lanka]] to French dairy company [[Lactalis]] for NZ$3.845 billion, subject to a shareholder vote and regulatory approval.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fonterra sells Mainland, Anchor brands to French food giant |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/570728/fonterra-sells-mainland-anchor-brands-to-french-food-giant |access-date=23 August 2025 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=22 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822151954/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/570728/fonterra-sells-mainland-anchor-brands-to-french-food-giant |archive-date=22 August 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Anchor Milk === Fresh Anchor Milk products available in New Zealand are manufactured and marketed by Fonterra Brands, a division of Fonterra. The main plant that processes Anchor milk in New Zealand is in [[Takanini]], Auckland.

In addition to the common varieties with differing percentages of [[butterfat|milk fat]], they also offer "Anchor-Xtra", with extra [[calcium]] (marketed to "extra active" parents), and "Mega Milk", with extra [[vitamin]]s, as well as extra calcium, marketed for children.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anchor Xtra |url=http://anchor.Co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/11/pi_productid/7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808180132/http://www.anchor.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/11/pi_productid/7 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-08-08 |access-date=2009-09-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mega Milk |url=http://anchor.Co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/11/pi_productid/3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810094936/http://www.anchor.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/11/pi_productid/3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-08-10 |access-date=2009-09-14 }}</ref> In 2013, the Anchor brand was released in China.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anchor Xtra|url=http://www.nzedge.com/fonterra-takes-anchor-brand-china/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150211051800/http://www.nzedge.com/fonterra-takes-anchor-brand-china/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2015|access-date=2015-02-10}}</ref>

=== Anchor Milk Powder === Anchor Milk Powder is the major Anchor product available in some developing countries, such as [[Guyana]] and [[Ethiopia]].

=== Anchor Butter and Anchor Cheese === Anchor Butter and Anchor Cheese are sold in New Zealand, but the brand for these products in New Zealand is still owned by a Goodman Fielder subsidiary. For butter and cheese the brand was not returned to Fonterra in the brand swap so not all Anchor branded products are Fonterra products in New Zealand.

However, like most dairy products in New Zealand, the milk is still sourced from Fonterra suppliers and for butter and cheese, it is also likely that Fonterra manufactured the products with Goodman Fielder simply packaging the products.

== Outside New Zealand == Internationally the Anchor brand is 100% owned by the [[Fonterra|Fonterra Co-Op Group]]. It is available in (and manufactured in) many areas including: {{Div col}} * [[Australia]] * [[Barbados]] * [[China]]<ref>{{cite web| title=Anchor China|url=http://www.anchor.cn/|access-date=2015-02-10}}</ref> * [[Chile]] * [[Ethiopia]] * [[Fiji]] * [[Indonesia]] * [[Malaysia]] * [[Mauritius]] * [[Middle East]] * [[Pacific Islands]] * [[Peru]] * [[Philippines]] * [[Singapore]] * [[South Korea]] * [[Sri Lanka]] * [[Taiwan]] * [[United Kingdom]]

{{Div col end}} In Britain, Anchor block butter was imported from New Zealand until August 2012 when [[Arla Foods UK]] transferred production to a local factory in [[Westbury, Wiltshire]], using English cream.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fmcg/fresh/dairy/arla-moves-anchor-butter-production-to-the-uk/232185.article|title = Arla moves Anchor butter production to the UK}}</ref>

== Anchor Spreadable == '''Anchor Spreadable''' is one of the brand's specialised products. This butter based spread is softened with [[canola|canola oil]] and spreads easily, but marketing claims of its being spreadable direct from the fridge have been questioned.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} A campaign in 2003 for Anchor Spreadable, created by [[Jonti Picking]], of [[Weebl and Bob]] fame, included television ads featuring wobbly cows.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}

Anchor Spreadable, as well as other New Zealand butter products, were banned from import into the EU for a short time. This came after a complaint made to the European Commissioner for Trade, [[Peter Mandelson]], by the [[Germany|German]] dairy trader, Egenberger.<ref>{{cite web|title=Food & beverage industry news|url=http://www.foodworks.co.nz/news/newsprevious.htm|publisher=Foodworks|access-date=2009-09-14|archive-date=24 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524012010/http://www.foodworks.co.nz/news/newsprevious.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== See also == *[[Dairy farming in New Zealand]]

== References == {{reflist|2}}

== External links == * [http://www.anchorinstitute.com/ Anchor Institute] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090405193931/http://www.fonterrafoodservices.com.my/anchor/ Anchor Malaysia] (archived) {{Fonterra}} {{Milk navbox|state=collapsed}}{{Butter|state=collapsed}}{{Brands of New Zealand}} [[Category:Agricultural marketing cooperatives]] [[Category:Dairy products companies of New Zealand]] [[Category:New Zealand brands]] [[Category:Fonterra brands]] [[Category:Products introduced in 1886]]

[[Category:Cooperatives in New Zealand]]