Victorian creamery doubles capacity with facility expansion

Goulburn Valley Creamery’s production capacity has more than doubled to 100 million litres of milk per year, thanks to a $10 million fit-out of a larger processing area and upgrades to key equipment and water infrastructure. On top of this, the company has employed 17 new operational staff at the expanded facility to support more dairy production.

Also part of this success was an upgrade to Goulburn Valley Creamery’s water treatment infrastructure — made possible through an investment from the Victorian Government. The water infrastructure allows the company to treat raw channel water onsite to a standard which is safe for consumption, rather than relying on outsourcing treated water.

The company can now treat more water than it was previously able to outsource. It does so by using new technologies such as filtration equipment and dissolved air flotation systems.

Access to safe water is critical for the company’s operations, and this supported its decision to deliver the broader expansion and upgrades of the facility to produce more dairy products.

The local supply chain is also benefiting, with an increased demand for frozen milk storage following processing.

“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 Victorian 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.”

From frozen milk concentrate to frozen cream, the creamery’s wide range of dairy products are sourced locally and exported globally. The dairy processing facility is located in the historic Kyabram Jam Factory — home to SPC’s IXL jams — and has been operating at this site since 2020.

“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 Goulburn Valley Creamery Chief Executive Officer Mancel Hickey.

“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.”

Goulburn Valley Creamery has grown to employ 90 full-time workers, including 60 workers at its dairy farms across Victoria. The company has more than doubled its workforce in its dairy processing facility in Kyabram to 30 workers.

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