Dairy Women’s Network’s Debie Glover and Sarah Van Munster
Dairy Women’s Network has brought the country’s dairy story to the coffee table with a new twist on the Monopoly board game.
The launch of limited-edition dairy farming version of the game was held this month, including at Farm Source Te Awamutu.
Monopoly dairy farming style. Photo: Jeremy Smith
Farm Source Te Awamutu store manager Sarah-Jane Reay said the launch coincided with its Pie Day Friday get-together for farmers and members of the Dairy Women’s Network team were on hand to chat with customers.
In the Dairy Farming New Zealand Edition, English favourites from Old Kent Road to Mayfair are replaced with dairy districts – starting with the Far North and finishing in Southland. Regional farms stores are also in the mix with Fonterra sites.
“Everyone really enjoyed having a coffee, a pie and seeing the game set up on a 3x3m board in our store,” Reay said.
Farm Source stores across the country sold close to 800 boards on launch day.
“Events like this are a great reminder of how important it is to bring people together and keep our rural communities connected,” Reay said.
The Monopoly game on display. Photo: Jeremy Smith
DWN chief executive Jules Benton said the idea for the game grew out of a simple question – how do you tell the dairy story in a way the whole family can enjoy?
“Most of us have sat around the table for hours playing Monopoly at some point,” Benton said.
“We wanted to take that familiar game and make it our own, so the board looks and feels like dairy life, the good days, the hard calls and everything in between.”
Instead of buying and trading city streets, players travel through well-known dairy regions and key parts of the farming calendar, including calving, mating, milk pick up and community days.
The cards draw on situations farmers face, and the board features a custom token and artwork that reflects the four seasons on the farm.
“It’s recognisable straight away as Monopoly, but the detail is very much home grown,” Benton said. “People will see places and scenarios they know and hopefully have a few laughs along the way.”
Proceeds from the sales will help the Network continue its work supporting people in the sector through workshops, events and resources that build confidence, skills and connection.
“Every board that goes out the door helps us put more support in place for farming businesses and their teams,” Benton said.
Dairy Women’s Network events manager Debie Glover and partner relationship manager Sarah Van Munster were excited to launch the new look Monopoly game. Photo: Jeremy Smith
