More than 20 South Australian dairy farm owners have agreed to supply milk to the Beston Global Food Company (BFC) as part of an agreement that will see the company purchase an additional 60 million litres annually.
The deal marks an effort to underpin future cheese production at BFC’s Murray Bridge and Jervois facilities, calling on help from farms reaching Mount Gambier to the Barossa Valley.
To ensure its rapidly growing cheese operations, BFC has said it requires around 90 million litres of milk in the 2018 financial year – a substantial increase from the 20 million litres it sources from its own farms each year.
“We are in talks with other dairies in major South Australian milk production areas and expect to reach the target in the coming weeks,” said Sean Ebert, BFC’s CEO.
“All of the dairies involved have been supplying other national food groups and were looking for alternatives.”
BFC is in the process of installing a state-of-the-art mozzarella plant at its Jervois factory and expects to produce a minimum of 5,000 tonnes per annum when it is commissioned later this year.
In May, BFC subsidiary Beston Pure Foods’ Edwards Crossing was named Best Cheddar Cheese in Australia at the 2017 Dairy Industry Association of Australia awards.