Mainland

Mainland is a New Zealand-origin dairy brand best known for cheese. It began in 1954 as Mainland Products Ltd, a family business established by Peter McConnon in New Zealand's South Island. The brand name is associated with the South Island, which is informally called the mainland in contrast with New Zealand's North Island. Although the original company later expanded into a broad consumer-food business, cheese became the part of the Mainland identity that endured most clearly. During its development as an independent business, Mainland Products broadened its activities beyond cheese. Its portfolio included fresh and processed milk, ice cream, processed meats and other consumer foods. The company was also connected with the Tip Top ice-cream business and Kiwi Huttons processed meats. This expansion made Mainland Products considerably more diversified than the present-day Mainland cheese brand. Ownership changed progressively during the 1990s and early 2000s. Kiwi Co-operative Dairies, led by chief executive Craig Norgate, acquired 83 percent of Mainland Products in the 1990s. The remaining interest subsequently passed to Fonterra, the dairy cooperative created through a 2001 merger that included Kiwi Co-operative Dairies. Fonterra completed its acquisition of the balance in 2002. The McConnon family remained involved in operating the business until its sale to Fonterra; the family members identified in reference material include Peter McConnon's sons Baird and Alan and his grandson Simon McConnon. In 2005, Fonterra sold most of the former Mainland business to Rank Group, associated with New Zealand businessman Graeme Hart, while retaining the cheese assets. The non-cheese remnants of the former company later became part of Goodman Fielder. Mainland cheese consequently became part of Fonterra Brands rather than a standalone diversified food company. The brand's public identity has been shaped strongly by advertising. In New Zealand, its communications have repeatedly used patience and maturation as creative ideas, linking the time required to age cheese with the slogan "good things take time." The campaign introduced in 1993 became one of the country's longest-running television advertising platforms and was publicly recognized as one of the notable advertisements of the 1990s. Australian advertising used humorous references to the New Zealand accent, including the idea of Mainland as a "friend in the fridge" and wordplay involving "cheese day" and "Tuesday." In November 2024, Fonterra confirmed that it intended to sell several consumer brands, including Mainland. On 22 August 2025, Fonterra confirmed an agreement to sell Mainland together with other consumer brands and international operations to French dairy company Lactalis for NZ$3.845 billion. Subject to completion and applicable transaction conditions, the deal places Mainland within Lactalis's international dairy portfolio. The brand remains primarily associated with cheese, with its commercial presence concentrated in New Zealand, Australia and other selected markets.

Mainland's history began in 1954, when Peter McConnon founded Mainland Products Ltd as a family-operated business in New Zealand's South Island. The geographic reference in the name reflects the South Island's informal status as New Zealand's mainland, despite the country being composed of multiple islands. The company initially developed around dairy production and later became a broader consumer-food enterprise. Mainland Products expanded into fresh and processed milk, cheese, ice cream, processed meats and other foods. Its historical portfolio included Tip Top ice cream and Kiwi Huttons processed meats, although these activities did not define the long-term identity of the Mainland brand as strongly as cheese did. Cheese ultimately became the product category most closely associated with the name and the principal asset retained through later ownership changes. The McConnon family operated the company for several decades. Reference material identifies Peter McConnon's sons Baird and Alan and his grandson Simon McConnon as members of the family involved in the business before its sale. In the 1990s, Kiwi Co-operative Dairies acquired 83 percent of Mainland Products. The cooperative was led by chief executive Craig Norgate during this period. The remaining interest was later acquired by Fonterra, the large New Zealand dairy cooperative formed through a merger in 2001 that included Kiwi Co-operative Dairies. Fonterra completed the acquisition of the outstanding interest in 2002. Fonterra subsequently reorganized the assets inherited from the former Mainland company. In 2005 it sold most of the business formerly belonging to Mainland to Rank Group, associated with Graeme Hart, while retaining Mainland's cheese assets. The non-cheese portion of the former company later became part of Goodman Fielder. Mainland cheese was therefore incorporated into Fonterra Brands and continued as a branded dairy business rather than as the name of a diversified standalone food company. Advertising became an important part of Mainland's cultural recognition in New Zealand. The brand's long-running communications used cheese maturation as a metaphor for patience and quality. The "Good Things Take Time" campaign began in 1993 and became one of the longest-running television advertising campaigns in New Zealand. It was also selected by the public as one of the best advertisements of the 1990s. The campaign helped give Mainland a distinctive tone while reinforcing the practical product message that aged cheese requires time. In Australia, Mainland advertising used the New Zealand origin more directly, particularly through comic treatments of the New Zealand accent. Examples included describing the product as a "friend in the fridge" and wordplay that made "cheese day" sound like "Tuesday." These executions localized the brand's communication while preserving its trans-Tasman identity. Fonterra announced a new ownership transition in 2024. On 11 November it confirmed that several consumer brands, including Mainland, were to be sold. On 22 August 2025, Fonterra confirmed the sale of Mainland together with other consumer brands and international operations to Lactalis for NZ$3.845 billion. The transaction marks the movement of Mainland from Fonterra's branded-consumer portfolio into the portfolio of a major French dairy company. Mainland's established identity, however, remains rooted in New Zealand cheese and its long association with the proposition that good things take time.

• 2025

  Lactalis acquisition is confirmed

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Fonterra confirms the sale of Mainland and other assets to Lactalis for NZ$3.845 billion.

• 2024

  Fonterra announces consumer-brand divestments

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Fonterra confirms that Mainland is among the consumer brands it intends to sell.

• 2005

  Former Mainland business is divided

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Fonterra sells most of the former Mainland business to Rank Group but retains the cheese assets, which continue under Fonterra Brands.

• 2002

  Fonterra acquires the remaining Mainland interest

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Fonterra obtains the balance of the former Mainland Products business.

• 2001

  Fonterra is formed

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Fonterra is created through a merger that includes Kiwi Co-operative Dairies, setting the ownership path for Mainland.

• 1993

  Good Things Take Time campaign begins

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Mainland launches the advertising platform that becomes a long-running New Zealand television campaign built around cheese maturation and patience.

• 1990

  Kiwi Co-operative Dairies acquires a majority stake

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Kiwi Co-operative Dairies acquires 83 percent of Mainland Products during the 1990s; the cooperative is led by chief executive Craig Norgate.

• 1954

  Mainland Products Ltd is founded

  [1]Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org

  Peter McConnon establishes Mainland Products Ltd as a family business in New Zealand's South Island.

A mainstream New Zealand dairy brand centered on dependable, everyday cheese and an established heritage of patient maturation. Its communications connect cheese aging with the idea that quality takes time.

• Cheese

  Mainland cheese

  The core Mainland product line and the category most closely associated with the brand. Mainland cheese is sold across Australasia and in selected American markets, with brand communications emphasizing dependable everyday use and the time involved in maturation. The line includes traditional and processed cheese offerings, with cheddar among the brand's identified products.

• Cheddar cheese

  Mainland cheddar

  A principal Mainland cheese offering within the brand's broader range. Cheddar represents the brand's established New Zealand dairy positioning and is marketed for ordinary household consumption rather than as a narrowly specialized luxury product.

• Dairy and consumer foods · 1954

  Historical Mainland dairy and food portfolio

  The original Mainland Products business operated across fresh and processed milk, cheese, ice cream, processed meats and other consumer foods. These categories describe the historical scope of the company rather than the present core identity of the Mainland cheese brand. Tip Top and Kiwi Huttons were among the businesses associated with that earlier diversified portfolio.

• 1993Good Things Take Time

  New Zealand

  Mainland built a long-running television advertising platform around the patience required for cheese to mature. The phrase became closely associated with the brand and appeared in its visual identity.

  Outcome. The campaign became one of New Zealand's longest-running television advertising campaigns and was publicly voted among the country's best advertisements of the 1990s.

  Source
• Friend in the Fridge

  Australia

  Australian advertising used humorous New Zealand-accent wordplay, including a pronunciation of "friend in the fridge" that highlighted the brand's New Zealand origin.

  Source
• Cheese Day and Tuesday

  Australia

  Another Australian execution played on the sound of the New Zealand accent by confusing "cheese day" with "Tuesday."

  Source

• 2025

  Lactalis agrees to acquire MainlandM&A

  Background

  Fonterra continued its planned divestment of selected consumer brands and international operations.

  Action taken

  Fonterra confirmed the sale of Mainland and other included assets to Lactalis.

  Aftermath

  Mainland is expected to move from Fonterra Brands into Lactalis's international dairy portfolio, subject to completion of the transaction.

  Transaction value. NZ$3.845 billion (2025 announced transaction)

  Source

• 2024

  Fonterra announces plans to divest MainlandStrategy

  Background

  Fonterra announced that it would sell several consumer brands as part of a portfolio change.

  Action taken

  Mainland was included among the consumer brands identified for sale.

  Aftermath

  The announcement led to the subsequent confirmed sale process involving Lactalis.

  Source

• 2005

  Fonterra retains Mainland cheese while selling other former Mainland assetsStrategy

  Background

  Fonterra reorganized the diversified business acquired through the earlier Mainland ownership chain and chose to retain the cheese assets.

  Action taken

  Most of the former Mainland business was sold to Rank Group, while Mainland cheese continued under Fonterra Brands.

  Aftermath

  The Mainland name became primarily associated with cheese; the non-cheese remnants later became part of Goodman Fielder.

  Source

1. 1Mainland (cheese)en.wikipedia.org