Fonterra Cooperative Group, which is looking to cut hundreds of jobs as part of a review aimed at stripping costs out of its business, says it has begun talks with workers in administrative roles such as finance, legal and information services. The world’s largest dairy exporter has hired business management consultant McKinsey & Co to assist in a review of its …

Kathmandu has urged shareholders to take no action on a full takeover offer from Briscoe Group pending the board’s response and has retained Goldman Sachs as an adviser.  Briscoe, the homewares and sports good retailer, yesterday offered 89.7 million of its own shares and $32.3 million cash for the 80.1 percent of the outdoor equipment and clothing chain it doesn’t already own. The …

Marlborough Lines has bought an 80 percent stake in Yealands Wine Group, New Zealand’s sixth-largest wine exporter, for $89 million. The South Island electricity lines company took control from founder Peter Yealands, who wanted to keep the winery fully New Zealand owned, the companies said in a joint statement. Marlborough Lines is debt free and had realised $100 million in cash from …