Australian farmer-owned dairy co-operative Norco commemorates 130 years with a week-long celebration. To mark this significant milestone, Norco has partnered with local communities to revive the historic school milk program.
On 5 June, the co-operative delivered free milk to all primary schools and students in the Lismore region.
Paying tribute to its heritage and the original programme launched in 1895, thousands of milk bottles were distributed to participating schools. Chief executive officer of Norco, Michael Hampson, expressed his gratitude to the heartland community.
“130 years is a significant achievement, so we wanted to celebrate all our farming families, many of whom are multi-generational, that work rain, hail or shine to deliver the best, freshest tasting dairy for our co-operative,” he said.
“To honour the milestone, it felt only natural to give back to the next generation in this way, while at the same time helping to educate about the great health benefits of fresh milk.”
Norco has buried a time capsule on the grounds of its Gold Coast milk factory in partnership with A.B. Paterson College.
“In taking a walk down memory lane to honour our co-operative’s history, we were thrilled to uncover the shared history and aligned purpose that further connects us with our neighbours at A.B Paterson College,” Hampson added.
“In planning these celebrations, we thought this was perfect way to truly capture the significance of this milestone, while paying tribute to Norco’s original vision and values.”
Norco currently has 281 active members across 188 dairy farms in northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. It employs around 800 people across five production facilities, two corporate offices, and 25 rural retail stores.