The New Zealand website Scoop.nz BusinessDesk reports that Swales took up her new role as managing director Oceania at the beginning of November. She leads a new unit that adds New Zealand consumer brands to Fonterra’s Australia segment. Swales has been the cooperative’s managing director Australia since 2013.

Scoop.nz reports that Fonterra’s Australian business has underperformed for several years, with a $108m (€76.68m) writedown on its yogurt and dessert business assets in 2015’s financial results, along with a $106m (€75.26m) revenue drop to $1.56bn (€1.108bn) over the previous year.

Australia remains a tough market with fierce competition for milk supply and overcapacity in dairy production.

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Fonterra sources milk from 1,200 Australian suppliers through the Bonlac Supply Company.

Australian suppliers were paid Aus$6/kg (29.4c/litre) in the 2014/’15 season compared to NZ 4.65/kg (19.6c/litre) for New Zealand farmer shareholders, Scoop.nz reports.