Turning a Familiar Landscape into a New Dairy System

In the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island, Spring Sheep is helping establish an entirely new dairy sector. Founded in 2015, the company brings together genetics, farming, processing and product development in one traceable system, working alongside Pāmu, New Zealand's state-owned farming enterprise, and New Zealand investment partners.

Today, Spring Sheep is the largest sheep milk dairy company in the Southern Hemisphere. Its products are sold across New Zealand, China, Malaysia and Vietnam, with a portfolio that includes premium sheep milk products and infant formula that meets strict international and local market standards.

At the heart of that effort is Zealandia®, a new breed of dairy sheep developed over more than a decade specifically for New Zealand's pasture-based grass-fed farming system.

The breeding programme draws on more than 35 million data points and over 10,000 DNA tests to identify traits that support consistent milk production in a pasture-based environment.

That combination of farming and data reflects a broader approach to food production in New Zealand. It combines science and innovation with natural systems, helping farmers improve performance while maintaining a strong connection to the land.

The company operates dedicated farms across the greater Waikato region, where flocks are managed under a professional farming model encompassing animal health, nutrition and milk quality. Together, these farms form a fully integrated system designed to deliver consistency from pasture through to finished ingredients and products.

As consumer interest in grass-fed dairy continues to grow around the world, credibility matters. New Zealand has now defined what "grass-fed" means through independently verified standards. Spring Sheep was one of the first dairy companies assessed and confirmed under these Standards.

Sheep milk also offers a distinct nutritional profile. Spring Sheep points to naturally occurring characteristics including A2-type beta-casein and smaller fat globules, alongside components such as protein, calcium and lactoferrin. The company has invested in understanding how these characteristics behave during processing and how they can be preserved from farm through to finished ingredients and products.

While sheep dairy remains a relatively new category in New Zealand, Spring Sheep is helping shape what that future could look like. By combining genetics, pasture-based farming, processing expertise and recognised standards, the company has developed an evidence-led system that spans the entire supply chain, from genetics through to finished products.

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