With its latest facility upgrade, Goulburn Valley Creamery has more than doubled its production capacity to 100 million litres of milk per year.
The $10 million government-backed expansion has upgraded key equipment and water infrastructure. New 17 operational jobs have been created through the expansion, allowing the facility to take in more milk from local dairy farms.
“Victoria’s dairy industry is an important driver of local jobs and economic activity, which is why we’re thrilled that Goulburn Valley Creamery’s expansion has led to more jobs than expected,” said minister for regional development Jaclyn Symes.
“The expansion project is enabling local dairy producers like Goulburn Valley Creamery to support towns like Kyabram with more workers and a strengthened supply chain.”
A major part of the upgrade was the company’s water treatment infrastructure, allowing it to treat more water onsite.
Through efficient filtration equipment and dissolved air flotation systems, Goulburn Valley Creamery addresses the challenge of accessing safe water, which is critical for its operations.
“We’re thrilled with the expansion at our Kyabram factory which has included water treatment upgrades that have boosted our production capacity and opened up new market opportunities and enabled us to employ more people in the local area,” said chief executive officer at Goulburn Valley Creamery Mancel Hickey.
With increased demand for frozen milk storage following processing, Hickey noted how the local supply chain is also benefitting.
“These improvements have helped us bring on more staff and deliver more products to market, while also providing a flow-on benefit to local suppliers,” he said.
Goulburn Valley Creamery has grown to employ 90 full-time workers across Victoria, doubling its workforce at the Kyabram dairy processing facility.
The dairy industry is a key part of Australia’s economy. Thirty per cent of Victoria’s dairy farms are in northern Victoria, producing 1.55 billion litres of milk in the 2023–24 financial year.