Spring Sheep Milk
Spring Sheep Milk Co. is a New Zealand sheep milking company producing branded consumer products (Gentle Sheep infant formula, Spring Sheep NZ adult/family nutrition) and B2B bulk ingredients from its exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed, distributed across Asia-Pacific with a 2024 SAMR-approved Chinese label push.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersHamilton, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Spring Sheep Milk does
Spring Sheep Milk Co. is a New Zealand sheep milking company founded in 2015 as a public-private partnership between Pāmu Farms of New Zealand (government-owned) and SLC Group (export-focused sales and marketing). Headquartered in Hamilton, the company operates a vertically integrated value chain from proprietary sheep genetics through owned processing to international distribution, marketing itself as the largest sheep milking company in the Southern Hemisphere. Its underlying technology centres on the exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed — officially registered with the New Zealand Sheep Breeders Association and backed by the largest genotyped dairy flock in New Zealand with over 40 million individual animal trait records (2015–2026) — combined with low-agitation milking systems and a super-chilled (<3°C) handling process designed to preserve milk quality from parlour to packaging.
The company serves three primary revenue streams. First, branded consumer products via two sub-brands: Spring Sheep New Zealand® (Adult & Family Nutrition, including mid-senior formulas) and Gentle Sheep® (Infant Nutrition across Stages 1–4). These are distributed through pharmacy and grocery networks in Taiwan and Malaysia, Tmall Global cross-border e-commerce in China, China general trade retail post-2024 SAMR approval, and direct-to-consumer online. Second, B2B bulk ingredients (whole, standardised, skim, and lactose-free sheep milk powders, frozen cream, UHT long-life milk) sold to manufacturers. Third, private label manufacturing support for partners launching their own infant formula brands. GTM is a hybrid model combining distributor partnerships, sales-led B2B acquisition, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce, with active distributor recruitment across Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, UK/Europe, North America, and South America signalling the next expansion phase.
Operating geographies are concentrated in Asia-Pacific (New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, China), with clinical research partnerships spanning Liggins Institute, Riddet Institute, AgResearch, University of Auckland, and High-Value Nutrition to substantiate nutrition and health claims. The 2024 acquisitions of an ownership stake and management contract at Melody Dairies (Hamilton) and SAMR registration across all Chinese retail channels represent the most significant recent steps toward full vertical integration and access to the Chinese infant formula market.
Spring Sheep Milk firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spring Sheep Milk
- Legal name
- Spring Sheep Milk Co.
- Website
- https://springsheepmilkco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Spring Sheep Milk Co. is a New Zealand sheep milking company producing branded consumer products (Gentle Sheep infant formula, Spring Sheep NZ adult/family nutrition) and B2B bulk ingredients from its exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed, distributed across Asia-Pacific with a 2024 SAMR-approved Chinese label push.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spring Sheep Milk industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sheep Milk Dairy Products
- NAICS
- Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511), Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing (311514), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infant Formula & Specialized Dairy Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Toddler & Pediatric Nutritional Powder Manufacturing (Milk-Based) (AFAHAHAH), Organic & Specialty-Claim Fluid Milk Processing (Organic, A2, Grass-Fed) (AFAHAAAH), Milk Production (Raw Milk) (AFAEACAA), Dairy Ingredients (Whey, Lactose, Milk Powders) Wholesale (AFAIAEAG)
Keywords
Where Spring Sheep Milk is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Spring Sheep Milk business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Branded Consumer Products: Sale of premium branded sheep milk products under Spring Sheep New Zealand brand (Adult & Family Nutrition) and Gentle Sheep brand (Infant Nutrition) through distributors, retail, pharmacy, and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Private Label Manufacturing: Spring Sheep provides professional partners with knowledge, capabilities, and manufacturing expertise to launch their own infant formula brands using Spring Sheep's sheep milk and formulations.
- Bulk Ingredients Sales: Production and sale of premium bulk sheep whole milk powder and nutritional bases for infants, seniors, and family health products to manufacturers for use in their own products.
- Sheep Milk Supply from Farmer Network: Milk sourced from Spring Sheep's dedicated group of New Zealand farmers and exclusive Zealandia dairy sheep breed, produced through vertically integrated end-to-end supply chain.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Branded consumer products available via distributors and direct-to-consumer online store |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Spring Sheep Milk product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spring Sheep Milk Co. produces and markets premium grass-fed sheep milk products and ingredients from its exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed. The company offers branded consumer products (Spring Sheep New Zealand® adult/family nutrition and Gentle Sheep® infant formulas) and bulk B2B ingredients including whole milk powder, skim milk powder, lactose-free milk powder, frozen cream, and UHT milk for manufacturers and private label customers. Products are 100% produced in New Zealand and distributed internationally via distributors, retail, pharmacy, and e-commerce channels.
Product overview
Spring Sheep Milk Co. is a sheep milk production and marketing company offering a portfolio of branded consumer products and bulk ingredients. The company operates under two main brands: Spring Sheep New Zealand® for Adult & Family Nutrition (including Full Cream Sheep Milk Powder and Mid-Senior Formulas) and Gentle Sheep® for Infant Nutrition (covering Stage 1-4 formulas from infants to children 36+ months). Additionally, the company offers bulk ingredients including Whole Milk Powder, Standardised WMP, Skim Milk Powder, Lactose-Free Milk Powder, Frozen Sheep Cream, and UHT Long-Life Milk for manufacturers and Private Label customers. Products are 100% produced in New Zealand from grass-fed sheep milk sourced from their exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Spring Sheep New Zealand: Adult and Family Nutrition products - premium grass-fed sheep milk products for adults and families.
- Gentle Sheep
Products and services
- Sheep Whole Milk Powder (WMP)
- Sheep Standardised Whole Milk Powder (sWMP)
- Sheep Skim Milk Powder (SMP)
- Sheep Lactose-Free Milk Powder
- Frozen Sheep Cream
- UHT Long-Life Sheep Milk (Full cream)
- Gentle Sheep® Premium Infant Formula Stage 1
- Gentle Sheep® Premium Follow-On Formula Stage 2
- Gentle Sheep® Premium Toddler Milk Drink Stage 3
- Gentle Sheep® Formulated Milk Powder for Children Stage 4
- Spring Sheep New Zealand® Mid-Senior Formulated Milk Powder
- Spring Sheep New Zealand® Probiotic Family Formula
- Private Label Manufacturing and Bulk Ingredients Supply
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-50% lower environmental impact (nitrogen leaching, water usage, soil structure, emissions) vs conventional dairy
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Spring Sheep Milk
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Spring Sheep Milk technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Spring Sheep Milk partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of AucklandcoreCollaborating on the SMILEY study (Sheep Milk based complementary weaning food intervention pilot study) investigating the impact of consuming an infant oat-sheep milk product compared to infant oat-cow milk product on infant gut bacteria, digestive comfort, and sleep.
- High-Value Nutrition - National Science ChallengecorePartner in the SMILEY study, a clinical research collaboration exploring sheep milk's impact on infant nutrition and gut health through the National Science Challenge.
- Liggins InstitutecoreCollaborating on the ShinDig study investigating digestion and nutrient absorption characteristics of sheep milk compared to cow's milk, and on the YUMMI Study examining effects of ruminant milk consumption on older women's nutrition and digestive comfort.
- AgResearchcorePartner in the ShinDig study (Sheep Milk Nutrient Bioavailability and Digestive Comfort) and genome-wide association studies for milk traits in NZ dairy sheep. Contributed to research alongside New Zealand's leading sheep genetics researchers and practitioners.
- Riddet InstitutecorePartner in the YUMMI Study (The Effects of Daily Consumption of Ruminant Milk on Nutrition and Digestive Comfort in older woman), a 12-week study investigating impacts of milk from different ruminant species on older women's health.
- NZ3M – Milk Means MoreminorCollaborating partner in the YUMMI Study examining ruminant milk consumption effects on older women's nutritional status and digestive comfort.
- NIG NutritionalsminorCollaborating partner in the YUMMI Study alongside other research institutions investigating ruminant milk benefits for older women.
- MirakaminorCollaborating partner in the YUMMI Study alongside other research institutions examining the impacts of daily consumption of ruminant milk on older women's health.
- Blue River DairyminorCollaborating partner in the ShinDig study investigating the digestion and nutrient absorption characteristics of sheep milk compared to cow's milk.
- Pāmu Farms of New ZealandcoreSpring Sheep Milk Co. is a unique public-private partnership between Pāmu Farms of New Zealand (NZ Government-owned enterprise) and SLC Group (export-focused sales and marketing company). Pāmu's farming philosophy guides Spring Sheep Milk Co's farming practices, including best-in-class farm management, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship.
- SLC GroupcoreSLC is a sales and marketing company specialising in taking high-quality New Zealand products to consumers worldwide, providing specialist skills, experience, and resources to ensure only the best products leave New Zealand shores. SLC also provides directorship to Spring Sheep board (Scottie Chapman serves as Director of SLC).
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spring Sheep Milk competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fonterra Co-operative Group: New Zealand's largest dairy company and global dairy exporter, with broad consumer brands, ingredients, and foodservice offerings. Comparable as a NZ dairy export giant operating across bulk ingredients, branded consumer products, and Chinese market channels, though focused on cow's milk.
- Synlait Milk: New Zealand premium infant formula and nutritional powder manufacturer serving global markets including China. Comparable as a NZ-based infant formula manufacturer with SAMR registration and B2B ingredient capabilities serving international brands, though across cow's milk.
- The a2 Milk Company: New Zealand-headquartered premium dairy company built around A2-type milk for infant formula and adult nutrition. Comparable as a premium NZ-origin infant and adult nutrition brand competing for similar Asia-Pacific consumers with A2 positioning, though at much larger scale across cow's milk.
- Westland Milk Products: New Zealand dairy processor producing milk powders, ingredients, and consumer products for export. Comparable as a NZ-based dairy ingredient and consumer products manufacturer serving international markets, particularly across Asia.
- Ausnutria Dairy (Kabrita): Dutch-Chinese dairy company operating the Kabrita goat milk infant formula brand with strong presence in China. Comparable as a premium non-cow milk infant formula brand competing for the same A2/gentle positioning in the Chinese infant formula market, though focused on goat milk.
Direct peers
- Dairy Goat Co-operative (NIG Nutritionals): New Zealand goat milk co-operative producing infant formula, milk powders, and ingredients for export under the NIG Nutritionals brand. Comparable as a NZ specialty milk (goat) company with similar infant formula, bulk ingredient, and private label offerings, and is named as a research collaborator of Spring Sheep.
- Maui Milk: New Zealand sheep milk producer focused on bulk ingredient supply and consumer products. Comparable as a domestic NZ sheep milk peer competing for farmer supply and ingredient customers, with similar pastoral farming systems.
- Blue River Dairy: New Zealand-based sheep milk company producing infant formula, milk powders, and related products. Directly comparable as a fellow NZ sheep milk processor with similar B2B and consumer product offerings, and is explicitly named as a research collaborator of Spring Sheep.
Emerging players
- Bubs Australia: Australian premium infant formula and goat milk formula brand listed on the ASX. Comparable as a smaller premium infant nutrition company targeting Asian markets with specialty milk (including goat), serving similar parents seeking alternatives to cow's milk formula.
- Bellamy's Organic: Australian organic infant formula and toddler food brand (owned by China Mengniu Dairy). Comparable as a premium infant formula brand targeting Chinese consumers via organic and specialty positioning, though across organic cow's milk.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Spring Sheep Milk social profiles
Digital presenceSpring Sheep Milk financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spring Sheep Milk leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Spring Sheep Milk subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Spring Sheep Milk funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spring Sheep Milk M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spring Sheep Milk
What does Spring Sheep Milk do?
Spring Sheep Milk Co. produces and markets premium grass-fed sheep milk products and ingredients from its exclusive Zealandia® dairy sheep breed. The company offers branded consumer products (Spring Sheep New Zealand® adult/family nutrition and Gentle Sheep® infant formulas) and bulk B2B ingredients including whole milk powder, skim milk powder, lactose-free milk powder, frozen cream, and UHT milk for manufacturers and private label customers. Products are 100% produced in New Zealand and distributed internationally via distributors, retail, pharmacy, and e-commerce channels.
Is Spring Sheep Milk a public or private company?
Spring Sheep Milk is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Spring Sheep Milk founded?
Spring Sheep Milk was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Spring Sheep Milk based?
Spring Sheep Milk is headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Spring Sheep Milk make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Branded Consumer Products are the primary driver. The others are private Label Manufacturing, bulk Ingredients Sales and sheep Milk Supply from Farmer Network.
Who are Spring Sheep Milk's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fonterra Co-operative Group, Synlait Milk, The a2 Milk Company, Westland Milk Products and Ausnutria Dairy (Kabrita). Direct peers are Dairy Goat Co-operative (NIG Nutritionals), Maui Milk and Blue River Dairy. Emerging players are Bubs Australia and Bellamy's Organic.
Does Spring Sheep Milk have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spring Sheep Milk.
What industry is Spring Sheep Milk in?
Spring Sheep Milk's product category is Sheep Milk Dairy Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAKAJ, Infant Formula & Specialized Dairy Nutrition Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAHAHAH, Toddler & Pediatric Nutritional Powder Manufacturing (Milk-Based). Its NAICS code is 31151 and its SIC code is 2020.