Seeking the cream of the crop

By Daneka Hill

Mar 11, 2022

Farmers wanted: Mancel Hickey and Jeff Shannon from Goulburn Valley Creamery want to expand their supplier numbers. Photo by Supplied

Kyabram-based Goulburn Valley Creamery is chasing down farmer suppliers after a successful first year.

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Strong overseas demand for the creamery’s fresh and frozen milk concentrates, extended shelf-life milks and cream products has encouraged the company to expand its processing capacity.

Dairy field services officer Jeff Shannon said he was seeking quality, continuous milk supply from the Goulburn Valley region.

“Local dairy farmers are key to helping us meet this interest from overseas,” Mr Shannon said.

“We’re happy to discuss options with any regionally based dairy farm operations, including supply details and terms, which we try to be flexible about.”

Currently the Kyabram facility is processing 100 million litres of milk annually and employs 80 staff and contractors.

Taste of history: The Goulburn Valley Creamery’s new processing facility has been built on the old Henry Jones Foods site in Kyabram. Photo by Supplied

THE CREAM ON TOP

Beloved by locals and historic in its own right, the old Henry Jones Foods site now hosts Goulburn Valley Creamery.

Chief executive Mancel Hickey said the historic structure was being preserved in respect to the building’s important place in Kyabram history.

Goulburn Valley Creamery also plans to strengthen the Henry Jones Foods brand (which includes IXL and Taylor’s) while building up its dairy business.

The new owners invested $40 million into creating a state-of-the-art dairy processing facility inside the old building, completed in October 2020.

A further $40 million is expected to be invested soon, due for completion by March 2023, to add 50 million litres of processing capacity.

By Daneka Hill

Journalist