Synlait escapes the Pōkeno pit: $307m sale ends costly chapter

Synlait spent about $90m refitting its brand-new Pōkeno plant for Abbott, its new owner. (Image: Synlait)

Tue, 30 Sep 2025

From underutilised to a “very solid exit”, Synlait’s announcement that it had sold its Pōkeno plant is a good outcome, an analyst says. On Monday, the milk manufacturer announced that it would offload its North Island assets, including Pōkeno, to Abbott Laboratories for approximately $307 million, thereby reducing its debt.The sale of the Pōkeno plant marks the end of what has been a torrid venture for Synlait, including a legal battle over the site, an immediate $90m refit for the brand-new plant for Abbott, which wasn&r...

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