Aussie Farmers Direct launches 100% owned dairy to supply healthy eating franchises

Aussie Farmers Direct has announced it will invest $5.45 million into the launch of ‘Aussie Farmers Dairy’ to secure the future supply of 100% Australian owned and produced milk to its local healthy eating franchises.

Aussie Farmers Dairy will redevelop the former Bonlac factory at Camperdown, in South West Victoria which has stood largely disused for the last 10 years.

Prior to that period, the Bonlac factory had a long history of dairy production that stretched over 100 years.

A new dairy processing and bottling plant will be constructed on the site. This plant will supply Aussie Farmers Direct branded liquid milk products to healthy eating franchises in the local area and interstate.

Commencing with two eight hour shifts, five days a week, the site has the potential to grow to a 24 hour, seven day a week operation. At full capacity the plant will process 100,000 litres of milk daily.

Aussie Farmers Direct has received financial support for the initiative from the Brumby Government’s Regional Investment Initiative and Community Regional Industry Skills Program through Regional Development Victoria.

30 jobs will initially be created at the site, with that figure increasing to 100 over the next five years. Employees will fill roles ranging from managers, technologists and supervisors through to semi skilled operators.

On top of the direct employment benefits, indirect employment is also expected to flow from the expansion to the local economy.

CEO of Aussie Farmers Dairy, Peter Skene, is excited about the potential the new site has.

“We’re thrilled this venture has had such overwhelming massive local support from the outset, with no public objections, which is a true testament to the fact that the entire region wants to see milk flowing through the site once again,” he says.

Aussie Farmers Dairy will use Camperdown as its base and from there will source, process and supply Victorian milk to Australia’s eastern seaboard states, initially to customers across Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory.