Dairy executive took $276k in secret payments for pricing information

A former dairy company executive has admitted receiving more than $250,000 in kickbacks from an overseas customer after providing confidential pricing information that influenced commercial negotiations. Simon Stewart, a former group market manager at Open Country Dairy pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to one representative charge of acceptance of gift by an agent under the Secret Commissions Act 1910 following an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. The charge relates to Stewart providing assistance and commercially sensitive pricing information to Indonesian customer PT Anta Tirta Kirana in return for undisclosed financial payments. The Serious Fraud Office said Stewart received 27 payments between April 1, 2019 and October 10, 2023 totalling $276,668, with individual payments ranging between $6980 and $22,767. Open Country Dairy, primarily owned by Talley's Food Group, is the country's second-largest milk processor and the world's second largest whole milk powder exporter.